


Guiding Light

by costumejail



Series: Guiding Light [1]
Category: Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys - My Chemical Romance (Album), The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (Comic)
Genre: (Not named or canon characters), Addiction, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Forehead Touching, Gen, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, M/M, Minor Violence, Napping, Nonbinary Character, Nonbinary Jet Star, Nonbinary Party Poison (Danger Days), POV Multiple, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Relationships, Smoking, The Fabulous Killjoys (Danger Days) Are Not MCR, Trans Character, dr d and pony make appearances, its never stated but kobra is trans!, the addiction stuff is not super explicit or anything
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:55:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 18,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23292079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/costumejail/pseuds/costumejail
Summary: When Ghoul encounters someone from his past, the Fab Four's bonds are put to the test.
Relationships: Agent Cherri Cola & Fun Ghoul, Agent Cherri Cola/Kobra Kid (Danger Days), Fun Ghoul & Jet Star & Kobra Kid & Party Poison (Danger Days)
Series: Guiding Light [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1916839
Comments: 75
Kudos: 47





	1. A favour.

**Author's Note:**

> Keep an eye on the notes, I'll put any content warnings before chapters if any apply! The first chapter should be clear.

Fun Ghoul’s radio crackled to life, causing him to drop his wrench with a loud clang. Ghoul swore, missing most of the transmission as he scrambled to find the radio among piles of wiring. 

“-out past zone four. Think you can lend a hand? Over.”

“Uhhh, 10-9?” Ghoul asked, confusion evident in his tone. 

“Keep your ears on, boy.” The voice became recognizable as Dr. Death-Defying, which only increased Ghoul’s bewilderment, “I said, there’s reports of a couple waveheads with no supplies out past zone four. Pony’s still on a run so I need you to drop off some supplies for them.”

“Why me? Don’tcha have anyone else that can do it?” Ghoul complained. 

“Think of it as a favour to me. I haven’t asked for anything in a while and I think you owe me one after everything with your crew.” Dr. D replied dryly. 

“Ha ha. Y’know Poison still doesn’t trust me not to run? They’ll never agree to it.”

“Bring one of them along. Come by tonight to pick up the gear. Signing off.” 

Ghoul tried to protest, but Dr. D had already disconnected his radio. He rolled his eyes, got to his feet, abandoning the old generator he’d been trying to fix, and stomped his way back into the diner. 

“Doc needs me to make a run tonight.” Ghoul announced.

The Kobra Kid startled awake from he had been dozing over a magazine at one of the tables. 

“No.” Party Poison snapped, sticking his head out from the kitchen, “‘E can get someone else t’ do it.”

“I’d like t’ agree but he did call for me specifically,” Ghoul drawled, enjoying the way Poison twitched at being so blatantly disobeyed, “and  _ ‘pparently _ I owe him a favour for findin’ me a crew or something like tha’. At least I’m givin’ you a warning this time.”

“If I didn’ think that you’d take th’ Am and run-” Poison snarled, but they were cut off by Jet Star lifting them out of the way. 

“Sounds fun, Ghoulie!” Jet said brightly, “I’ll come with.” 

They dumped Poison onto the bench next to Kobra and slid into the booth across from the siblings. 

Poison glared at Jet, about to argue with them, no doubt, but froze when Kobra lifted a hand. 

“How long? Where? Can you bring back Triple Axle’s latest zine?”

“A coupl’a hours, at most. Edge of four. If Doc has it then yeah.”

“Cool,” Kobra turned back to his magazine, ignoring the glare that Party leveled at him. 

“Am I th’ only one who thinks our resident flight risk shouldn’ be allowed to wander off t’ th’ far edge o’ th’ zones jus’ like that?”

“Yep,” Jet grinned, reaching over to muss Poison’s hair, “dye your hair or something. Kobra can keep you company. It’s for Doc, we can’t exactly say no.”

“Great. We’re leaving at sunset, Jet.” Ghoul turned to head back to the garage, not waiting for a reply. 

* * *

At sunset, Fun Ghoul collected the keys for the Trans Am, woke Jet up from their nap, and kicked open the door to the diner, flipping off Poison as they scowled at his back. The Kobra Kid was leaning on the hood of the Trans Am, soaking up the last rays of the sun as he watched Jet and Ghoul approach. 

“Remember my zine.” Kobra said as Ghoul unlocked the driver’s side door. 

Jet nodded. 

“No, yeah, of course, Kid,” they shot Ghoul a quick glance. “Do you want me to drive first, Ghoulie?”

“You d’know where we’re going.” 

“Just to Docs first, right?”

“You just don’t like th’ way I drive,” Ghoul teased.

“I just think-” Jet began.

“‘S my run. I’m driving.” 

With that settled, Fun Ghoul sat down into the driver’s seat, barely waiting for Kobra to stand up off the hood before starting the engine. Jet did their seatbelt up hurriedly, Ghoul didn’t, reversing away from the diner so fast he sent up a cloud of dust in his wake. 

* * *

Dr. Death-Defying sat outside of his station, slowly sipping a can of Jump Juice as he watched the lights of the Trans Am grow closer. The car skidded to a stop a few feet away from Dr. D’s chair and the doors opened. 

“I was gonna ask if you had Drac’s on your tail, to be drivin’ that fast, but I see someone made the mistake of letting Fun Ghoul drive. Draw the short straw there, Jet?”

Ghoul snickered a bit as he ran towards Dr. D, ruffling his hair and pulling the DJ into a hug. “Told ‘em it was my run so I got t’ drive and someone’s just too polite t’ argue.”

“We’ll be back at the diner that much faster.” Jet smiled, giving Dr. D a handshake. 

“You’re right about one thing there. Come on in, I’ll show you what needs taking.” 

Dr. D wheeled himself through the door of the station, Jet and Ghoul following closely. Several crates were on the floor near his broadcasting equipment, only one of them didn’t contain piles of records and cassette tapes. 

“Just this, and there’s some water out back too,” Dr. D indicated the crate which, upon closer inspection held dried cactus pads, aloe plants, and batteries. 

Jet nodded, “I’ll get the water loaded up if you get this, okay Ghoulie?”

Fun Ghoul grunted an affirmative. 

“‘Ghoulie’?” Dr D laughed as soon as Jet had left the station. “That’s a new one.”

“They think that th’ nickname’ll make it harder for me t’ leave. Some kind of attachment theory they read up on.”

“Is it working?”

Ghoul was silent for a minute, “Haven’t ran yet, have I?”

“No,” Dr. D paused. “I suppose not. They’re a good fit then? The crew? I know it’s a big change. You seemed-”

Ghoul thought back to how he’d been before meeting the rest of the Fab Four. “I was  _ fine _ , I’ve always been _ fine. _ ”

“Runnin’ alone’s no way to run. I was gonna say you seemed like there was some tension when I called today.”

“Oh,” Ghoul took a breath, “That’s no big deal. Sorry. They help, it’s just different.”

Dr. D nodded. 

“Anyway, how’s Cherri? He out on a run, too?”

“Oh, kid...” Dr. D hesitated, “He ran off a few weeks back.”

“But ‘is truck’s out front-?”

“Pony found it, he was nowhere to be seen.”

“What the fuck! How did you not tell me?”

Dr. D raised his hands, “I didn’t want to stress you out while you were still getting used to the crew!”

“‘A few weeks’? ‘WEEKS’? He could be dusted, dried out on th’ side of Route G somewhere! Did you even send anyone t’ look for him? Or did ya just find th’ truck and think at least it wasn’t a total loss?”

“What’s...?” Jet trailed off, taking in the scene in the station. “I heard yelling,” They added sheepishly. 

Ghoul and Dr. D stared at him, Ghoul’s chest rising and falling unsteadily. 

“I’ll just wait outside,” Jet turned, smacking into the doorframe in their haste to leave. 

Ghoul turned back to the DJ. 

“This’s th’ last ‘favour’ you get, D. Lose my frequency,” he picked up the crate of supplies and stepped out towards the parked Trans Am. 

“Everything okay?” Jet asked quietly once Ghoul had gotten settled back in the driver’s seat.

Ghoul didn’t answer, his knuckles white where they were clenched around the cracked steering wheel. He started to drive. 

After a few minutes, Jet tried again, “Did Doc tell you where we’re going? I can look it up on the map if you want.”

“I know th’ place.”

Jet nodded, ignoring the tears in Ghoul’s eyes, they reached over to grip Ghoul’s shoulder quickly before settling in for the drive in silence. 

* * *

The shack was surrounded by bodies when Jet and Ghoul pulled up in the Trans Am. A few of them stirred at the lights and noise from the Trans Am, but went still again once Ghoul cut off the engine. 

Jet got out first, popping open the trunk to retrieve the cases of water they had stashed there earlier. With a case under each arm, Jet had to wait for Ghoul to catch up so he could open the door to the shack. 

“Y’can put those on th’ floor. Grab th’ empties on your way back?” Ghoul turned and left without waiting for an answer. He walked back to the Am, carefully stepping around dead-to-the-world waveheads as they lay in the sand between the shack and the car. Suddenly, Ghoul stopped in his tracks, eyes fixed on a body near the outskirts of the arranged waveheads. 

“Jet?” Ghoul raised his voice, just enough so it would carry to Jet where they stood at the Trans Am.

“Yeah?”

“Toss me a bottle o’ water.”

Jet did so, and Ghoul gripped the bottle nearly tight enough to crack the plastic as he made his way toward the body. 

When he got close, Ghoul opened the bottle and upended it over the wavehead. Cherri Cola snapped awake, clawing at Ghoul’s ankle and pulling with enough force to bring the ‘joy down. 

“Get. Up. You. Fucker,” Ghoul grunted, kicking himself free of Cherri’s grasp.

“Ghoul?” Cherri blinked, eyes staring, unfocused, at the dark sky. 

“Yes you fuckin’ idiot. What th’ hell is your problem?”

“I don’t have a problem,” Cherri laughed to himself. “I have solutions. Salutations. Slapstick sunshine bright enough to make the darkest night blinding. Spirals. Do you see them?” He raised his hand weakly. “Golden orange and blue and symphony startling. A cacophony of-”

Ghoul upturned the bottle once more, cutting off Cherri’s ramblings.

“We get it. D said you vanished weeks ago, he didn’t say you came here.”

By now, Jet had noticed the commotion and come over to get a closer look, “Ghoulie?”

Ghoul turned. At his feet, Cherri made a move to sit up, but didn’t get far off the ground before collapsing. 

“I finished unloading the supplies and I left a note, I wasn’t sure if any of them can read but I thought it would be nice... Anyway, we should probably go soon, before it gets too cold...”

“Yeah,” Ghoul spared another glance for Cherri, lying at his feet. “Okay.”

Ghoul opened the driver’s door of the Trans Am again, but crawled all the way through to the passenger’s seat. Jet followed him in, concern written across their features. 

“Hope you know th’ way home,” Ghoul’s voice shook. 

“Hey,” Jet said softly. “I don’t- I don’t know what that was about but if you want to talk, I’m here. That’s what a crew’s for.”

Ghoul huffed out a laugh, “’m pretty tired. Migh’ just sleep on th’ way back.” 

With that, Ghoul turned his back to Jet and curled up in the passenger seat. 

As Jet drove, Ghoul pretended not to see them glance over at him every now and then, resolutely staring out the dark window. 


	2. Flight Risk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poison's plans to go to the market are interrupted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think any warnings apply for this chapter! Just like, swearing.

“Kobes, ‘ve you seen Ghoul?” Poison asked, walking into the kitchen where Kobra had been choking down a can of Power Pup. 

Kobra shook his head, heroically not wincing as he shoveled another spoonful into his mouth. 

“Fuck. I was gonna head t’ th’ market and I know ‘e’s been wantin’ more parts for th’ geni.”

“He’s distracted,” Kobra said, giving up on the Power Pup for the moment. 

And it was true, if Poison thought about it. Since coming back from the run with Jet, Ghoul had been twitchier than normal, prone to mood swings and always looking to start a fight. 

“Jet say anythin’ t’ you?” Poison asked, stealing a bite from Kobra’s abandoned breakfast. 

Kobra shook his head again, “Said, ‘keep an eye out.’”

Poison nodded absently, “‘M gonna head out ‘fore it gets too hot. Have ’im radio me if ‘e needs anythin’.”

“Don’t forget my zine,” Kobra reminded Poison as they retreated. 

Poison lifted a hand in acknowledgement. He started making a list of supplies that the crew needed in his head as he searched for the keys to the Trans Am. After a few minutes, Poison still hadn’t found the car keys.

“Jet,” Party raised their voice. “D’you still have th’ keys t’ th’ Am?”

Jet lifted their head from the latest patch they’d been sewing onto their jacket, “Ghoulie said he was gonna work on the Am. Something about the injectors needing some work.”

Poison nodded and went outside to find...

Nothing. 

No Fun Ghoul, no Trans Am, not even tire tracks to follow him by.

Poison’s vision went red. He ran back into the diner, slamming the door open on his way in. 

“Ghoul ran. ‘E took th’ ‘Am and fuckin’ left.”

Kobra emerged from the kitchen as Jet’s head snapped up again. 

“Shit.” Jet said. 

“Yeah. No shit  _ Jet Star _ ,” Poison rounded on them. “Your fuckin’ flight risk finally did wha’ I’ve always known ‘e would and fuckin’ ditched. Now we’ve got no car, no fuckin’ way t’ get anywhere. Did you even think about tha’ when you gave ‘im the keys or did you actually believe he was just fixin’ th’ fuckin’ injectors?”

Jet opened their mouth to retaliate but Kobra got between the two ‘joys and fixed Party with a cold stare. 

“Don’t blame Jet. You let Ghoul into the crew like they did. Go put out a call so people can look for him.”

Kobra pushed Poison, none too gently, towards the back room which held a small broadcast station. As Poison turned away, he saw Kobra bend down to rest his forehead in Jet’s hair. 

It only took Poison a minute to set up the broadcast, they slid a pair of headphones on and started to speak.

“Look alive, ‘Joys. Gotta message for anyone this side’a zone seven. Keep an eye out f’r a glitzed off ‘79 Am piloted by th’ mustiest motorbaby t' ride alone. ‘F you can get him t’ stop without poppin’ any shots then y’ can tell Fun Ghoul t’ get his ass back t’ th’ diner ‘fore I send th’ Witch after ‘im myself. Any intel, drop a line t’ me or Dr. D and you might find a shiny new blaster with your name on’t next time y’ drop by. ‘Til then, this is Party Poison, signin’ off.”

Poison set the broadcast to loop and sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face. 

It didn’t take long for their equipment to start flashing with an incoming transmission. 

“Night Light to Party Poison? Oh, I hope I have the right freq’.”

“This’s Party Poison, what d’ya got for me?”

“Oh, hi! You’re like, one of my heroes! Totally why I left the city in the first place!”

“Thanks,” Poison said tiredly, “I don’ wanna be rude but d’you have any intel on my car and... crew mate?”

“Yeah! Of course! Sorry! My partner said that he saw your car out in zone three which is weird because everyone knows you guys are stationed in zone six and don’t really go out this way unless it’s something big, but there aren’t any shipments or raids scheduled for today so we thought something might have been wrong to have you four so far out. And I guess we were right! Anyway, this was all an hour or two ago so obviously we didn’t know to stop them but I think they were headed through the zone so maybe if you know anyone in zone four they might be able to help? Anyway, I gotta go but good luck! I hope everything works out!”

Poison swore to himself before pressing the transmit button down. 

“Thanks f’r th’ intel. Keep runnin’.”

“Oh, right! Keep running!” Followed by a slight burst of static as Night Light cut off the transmission.

Poison fielded transmission after transmission from across the zones for the better part of an hour. No one seemed to have been able to stop Fun Ghoul, but all signs pointed to him having made a break for zone four. Eventually, Kobra appeared in the back room, managing to take the headphones completely off of Poison’s head before they noticed his presence. 

“Fuck, Kobes. Y’ snuck up on me.”

“Ghoul?”

“Zone four. ‘S’what everyone seems to be saying.”

“Waveheads.” Kobra mused. “Jet said-“

“Well if  _ Jet said _ -” Poison started.

“Jet said,” Kobra cut him off. “Ghoul got pretty rattled by the run last week.”

“Y’know, when  _ I _ get ‘pretty rattled’ by a run, I don’ fuck off t’ th’ far side of the zones withou’ tellin’ anyone.”

“Good for you. The crew thing’s new to Ghoul and we knew what we were in for.”

“I guess,” Poison yielded. “I was a dick t’ Jet, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay.” Poison got up, placing a hand on Kobra’s head briefly as they turned to leave the room. 

Kobra slid the headphones on and took Poison’s seat, ready for any more calls. 

* * *

Jet rolled over when Poison entered their bedroom.

“Hey.” Poison murmured, sitting on the edge of the mattress. 

“Sorry,” Jet replied, pressing their forehead to Poison’s hip. 

“‘S’not your fault,” Poison stroked Jet’s hair back. “Ghoul said ‘e was gonna work on th’ car.”

“I didn’t think he was gonna run off. He’d been doing  _ so well _ .”

He hadn’t, both ‘joys knew that Ghoul’s trust in the rest of the crew was shaky at best. They had only just progressed to having Ghoul keep his ray gun next to, rather than under his pillow while he slept. But Poison elected not to say that, instead dropping onto his side and wrapping an arm around Jet’s shoulders. 

“Everyone says ‘e’s in four.”

“You think he’ll come back?”

Poison hummed, “Think I’ll kill ‘im if ‘e doesn’.”

Jet laughed softly, “Kobes on the waves now? I’m gonna nap if you want to join.”

“Yeah. Was gonna go t’ th’ market but ‘t’s kinda hard without th’ Am.”

“He’ll bring it back. Sometimes you just need to go for a drive.” 

“‘Ve never gone as far ‘s four.”

“Kobes has. I have. Come on. Kobes will wake us up if something new happens.”

With that, Jet closed their eyes, Party copied them, and within minutes both ‘joys had drifted off. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter, sorry! Mostly just setup for the main plot but it was also fun to write Poison as they present to not-the-fab-four.  
> Let me know what you thought!


	3. Don't Be Mad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ghoul comes back to the diner. Party Poison is less than pleased with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very vague mentions of smoking and scars, I think that's it for warnings though!

The Kobra Kid had been stationed at the radio equipment for several hours. Calls had tapered off to the point where he had only received one in the last hour, but Kobra still sat at the equipment, headphones on and mind drifting. He was worried about Fun Ghoul, yes, but Kobra knew that Ghoul had spent enough time running on his own to be able to handle a trip to zone four. The pieces were starting to line up in Kobra’s mind, what Jet had told him about the run to zone four and the waveheads, Dr. Death-Defying’s notable lack of calls to the diner, half-stories and late-night confessions from Ghoul as the two of them shared cigarettes and sleepless nights on the roof of the diner. Kobra’s head was racing as he pondered what he knew of the newest ‘joy to their crew, he was about to get a scrap of paper and write everything down, just to get it out of his head, when his personal radio started to chirp. 

“Fun Ghoul t’ Kobra Kid.”

“Go ahead.”

“Don’ be mad.” 

Ghoul sounded tired. Kobra contemplated asking where he was, if he was okay, if he was coming back to the diner, but settled for the simplest way to verbalize his feelings. 

“Not mad.”

“I ‘ave your zine.”

Kobra frowned, “You didn’t leave to get my zine.”

“I need ya t’ do me a favour. I’ll fill ya in soon but you gotta do somethin’ before I can come back.”

Kobra nodded, grabbed a torn notepad, ready to take notes, and then realized Ghoul hadn’t seen him nod. 

“Tell me.”

Ghoul started laying out his plans. 

* * *

Kobra sat back, wiping sweat from his forehead as he surveyed the work he’d completed. The windows in the second bedroom had been completely covered, blankets, cardboard, and even some scraps of wood from the garage had been tacked up, blocking the sun from entering the room. A few boxes of food were stacked in the corner, stuff that Poison didn’t like, as per Ghoul’s request, and a jug of water sat next to them. Kobra unzipped the first aid kit he’d lifted from the garage and checked that it was stocked. It was a short on tape, and if Ghoul needed stitches they’d have to use Jet’s kit, but it was otherwise good. Why Ghoul had requested Kobra run to Doc’s for burn cream was anyone’s guess, and Dr. D hadn’t said anything to make it clearer to Kobra. But Dr. D also hadn’t said anything about Kobra paying him back so Kobra guessed that he wasn’t the only person Ghoul was in contact with. 

Kobra double checked the window covering one last time, made sure it held fast, and then walked to the other room, where Party and Jet had been napping. Kobra knocked softly and entered when Jet said so. 

Both ‘joys were awake. Jet was fixing a hole in their jeans as Party sketched at his desk. 

“Ghoul’s coming back. Stay in here. He said ‘don’t be mad’.”

Kobra turned and left, closing the door behind him. The sounds of Jet’s and Party’s voices filtered through the door, but as it stayed closed, Kobra figured he was okay to move to the next part of Ghoul’s plan. 

“Kobra Kid to Fun Ghoul,” he said into his radio. 

“Go ‘head.”

“Jet and Party are in their room.”

“‘Kay, be there soon. Signin’ off.”

Less than five minutes later, the Trans Am pulled up in front of the diner, the engine cutting off before the car had come to a complete stop. Ghoul jumped out of the driver’s seat and ran to the trunk.

“Help me with this,” Ghoul yelled to Kobra. 

Kobra ran towards the trunk, but stopped short when he saw what was in the trunk.

“You kidnapped someone.”

“I’d love t’ talk about th’ technicalities of what I did or didn’ do later, bu’ righ’ now we need t’ get him inside. Grab ‘is feet.”

Kobra obeyed, helping Ghoul lift the man out of the trunk and carry him into the diner, past the kitchen, and into the second bedroom. 

They dropped the man on the bed, Ghoul pointed to the burn cream. 

“Hand me that, will ya? ‘E’s scorched t’ shit and this stuff burns like hell th’ first time ya put it on. Better t’ do it while ‘e sleeps, y’know?”

Kobra nodded, wordlessly helping Ghoul strip the man down, clean his wounds, and apply burn cream. In the dim light, it was hard to tell, but the man looked not much older than Kobra. For how young he looked, the wavehead was covered in scars. 

When they finished, Ghoul and Kobra left the man on the bed, he hadn’t started to stir yet but Ghoul still locked the door behind them. 

They headed towards the kitchen, and Ghoul put on a pot of coffee. 

“Good thing I got th’ geni fixed up, yeah? Always need some coffee after a long drive. You wan’ a mug? Bet Poison was insufferable all day and ya didn’ get t’ sleep. Oh, I got y’r zine. I think it’s on th’ passenger seat if ya wanna go grab it.” 

Ghoul tossed the Trans Am’s keys to Kobra, who caught them and left. 

When Kobra returned from the car, zine in hand, he walked into the kitchen, stole Ghoul’s mug, and went to the dining room to sit in a booth. After a minute, Ghoul slid into the booth too, juggling a fresh mug of coffee, a can of Power Pup, and two spoons. 

“Hungry? No? More f’r me.”

Kobra raised an eyebrow, and Ghoul’s facade crumbled. 

“Okay. I. Know him from, before, and ‘e’s a wavehead now an’ I, can’t,” Ghoul said slowly.

His eyes wouldn’t meet Kobra’s, Ghoul's hands were hidden in his lap but Kobra was willing to bet that they were tightly twisted together. 

“I can’t see him like tha’. I know. ‘S not my crew, and I can’t ask you guys t’ do this but I jus’. I need t’ see 'im get better. I jus’ need a few days so ‘e can start t’ heal and then we’ll go. I’m s-”

“No,” Kobra cut him off.

“Or we go now! Tha’s fine. I’ll go wake ‘im up and we’ll... Go.”

“Don’t do that. We are your crew. If you know him, we’ll help. What do you need?”

Ghoul exhaled shakily, eyes bright, “Really?”

“Really.”

“Fuck. Thank you Kobes,” Ghoul took a deep breath. “If you got th’ room ready like I asked then we should be good for a little while. I jus’ need to keep an eye out that he doesn’t get th’ window loose.”

“You said ‘make it secure’.”

“I guess so, yeah.”

“Jet and Party?”

“I can talk t’ them. Destroya, Poison’s gonna kill me.”

“He’s upset. We’ll talk to them.”

Kobra got up, abandoning the half-empty mugs at the table, and walked to Jet and Party’s room. Ghoul hastily followed, catching up just as Kobra entered the room. 

“Ghoul’s back,” he announced needlessly. 

Jet rushed over, picking up Ghoul and crushing him in a hug. 

“Don’t do that!” Jet exclaimed. “Witch, I was so worried. Where did you go? Why didn’t you say anything.”

“I ‘ad t’ pick up a friend,” Ghoul muttered, avoiding the glare that Party levelled at him.

“Ghoulie, I would have come with you. Buddy system!”

“I- Yeah, sorry.” 

“Not t’ be a buzzkill here but,” Party drawled. “I’m guessing you did a little more than jus’ ‘pick up a friend.’ First, you don’  _ have _ other friends.”

“Poison!” Jet hissed. 

“Second,” Party continued loudly. “‘F it was something that simple you would’a. I don’ know.  _ Told _ us. No. You aren’ tellin’ us something and I know we’re your first crew bu’ we. Don’t. Lie. T’ each other.”

“I’m not-” Ghoul cut himself off. 

“Spill. What’d you do? Make it quick.” 

Kobra often forgot that his sibling was a wanted rebel, a leader of the zones, someone that could move whole crowds to riot with just their words, but watching them now, Kobra felt like he was looking at a completely different person, one who was furious at their own crewmate. 

Kobra stepped in front of Party, blocking Ghoul from his rage. 

“Ghoul abducted a wavehead. He’s in the other bedroom. We’re taking care of him until he recovers.”

Party’s face went white, then red.

“Pois,” Jet said gently, taking his hand. 

Party jerked his hand away. 

“Get out. All o’ you. Kobes, you should know better.”

“I’m helping Ghoul, Party.”

“Out,” Party seethed. 

The other three ‘joys beat a hasty retreat, and regrouped in a booth. 

“Ghoulie, what do you need?” Jet asked. 

“Kobra said ‘e could help. If you keep Poison out o’ my hair until Cherri’s better, that’d be great.”

“Cherri?” Kobra cut in. 

“Cherri Cola,” Ghoul savoured the words. “You can properly meet ‘im when ‘e wakes up.”

Jet nodded, “Until then?”

“I made coffee.”

It wasn’t what Jet wanted to hear, Kobra could tell. But Jet stood and headed into the kitchen. Ghoul exhaled slowly, hunching forward until his head touched the table.

Kobra reached over to lightly scratch at Ghoul’s scalp and Ghoul rolled his head over, shooting a tired grin across the table. 

When Jet returned, with a mug for themself, they sat next to Ghoul and pulled him in close. 

“You can tell us things,” Jet murmured.

Ghoul nodded, eyes closed. 

The three ‘joys sat like that for a while, Jet and Kobra sipping their coffee while Ghoul dozed. At some point Party emerged from his room, took one look at his crewmates gathered around the booth, scoffed, and left the diner, jangling the keys to the Trans Am as the door closed behind him. 

Kobra rolled his eyes and got up. He grabbed the empty Power Pup can and spoons and took them into the kitchen. The water in the diner had almost run out, and Kobra debated radioing Party to ask them to pick up another barrel, but decided against it. His eyes drifted towards the zine lying on the counter. Kobra grabbed the zine and went back into the dining room. He had just sat down when a crash rang out from Ghoul’s room. 

Instantly, Fun Ghoul was up. He didn’t wait for Jet to leave the booth, jumping over the back of the bench in his haste to get to the bedroom. Ghoul scrambled to unlock the door, but his hands shook as he fumbled with the lock. 

Kobra caught up to him before Jet did, and wordlessly took the keys, fit the right one into the lock, and let Ghoul into the room. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got impatient and decided to post this chapter early, chapter two was short! Sue me.
> 
> Couple things that may need clearing up:  
> \- My version of the diner has two 'bedrooms', Party has claimed one, Ghoul the other, Kobra and Jet bounce between the two rooms under regular circumstances.  
> \- Ages for the Fab Four aren't suuuper relevant but as it is mentioned, Kobra is 17-18 and Cherri is around the same.  
> \- Because I want it to be super clear; my Ghoul has dyspraxia, this is me projecting because I can. It worsens when he's stressed or anxious, hence the fumbling-with-the-doorknob. This comes up other times in the fic so I thought I'd just establish it now.  
> \- All the cuddling (right now) is platonic! Killjoys live loudly! Why wouldn't they hug and share beds and play with each others' hair?
> 
> That should be everything for this chapter! Hope you enjoyed, tell me what you think! My tumblr is @sleevesareforlosers if ya wanna shoot me a follow.


	4. Temporary Clarity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cherri wakes up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a little bit of violence in this one, just a scuffle between two characters. Also some mention of addiction/getting high but all very vague and unrealistic.

Ghoul shut the door quickly behind himself. Before Ghoul’s eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, Cherri Cola had Ghoul pinned to the wall, one hand at his throat, the other reaching for a ray gun that Ghoul knew wasn’t there. 

“Cherri. Hey. Shh, ’s just me. Just Ghoul.”

The words had no effect on Cherri, if anything, his grip on Ghoul’s throat tightened. 

Ghoul mentally apologized to Cherri before raking his nails over Cherri's hands. Cherri let go with a strangled cry and hunched over, Ghoul grabbed the back of Cherri’s neck and held the wavehead in place. 

“Are you gonna be a pain ‘bout this? ‘Cause I promise it’ll hurt you more'n me if ya wanna get violent.”

“Fun... Ghoul?” Cherri's voice came out raspy. 

“Yeah, tha’s me.”

“It’s dark,” Cherri whispered.

“It’s nighttime.”

“Where is she?”

“Who?” Ghoul asked, completely lost. 

Cherri straightened up fully, throwing Ghoul off. Ghoul tensed, ready for Cherri to lunge at him, but Cherri groaned and fell to the floor. His head struck the ground and Cherri fell unconscious. 

Ghoul groaned. He’d forgotten how hard this part was. The first week of detox for a wavehead, where all you could do was tend to their burns and try to keep them hydrated while they came down from whatever high the sun’s rays afforded them.

With some effort, Ghoul lifted Cherri back onto the bed. He rubbed burn cream onto Cherri’s skin and wrapped bandages around his hands where Ghoul’s nails had torn the blistered skin. It would be best to try and get some water into Cherri, but with him being unconscious, Ghoul was just as likely to drown him. Not quite satisfied, Ghoul let himself out of the room and locked the door once more behind himself. 

* * *

Jet and Kobra were staring at the door to the room where Ghoul had disappeared. Jet had tried to get up when they heard a slam, a groan, and some voices, but Kobra held them back. 

“If Ghoul screams, we go in,” Jet forced Kobra to agree. 

A few minutes later, however, Ghoul emerged, bruises darkening around the base of his throat, but otherwise unharmed. 

Ghoul didn’t acknowledge either Jet or Kobra, he sat back at the booth table, pulled out a knife, and began to clean his nails. 

Jet looked closely and saw that Ghoul was scraping blood from under his fingernails with the point of the blade. 

“Awake?” Kobra asked. 

“For a bit,” Ghoul allowed. “He’s out ‘f it. It’ll be like that f’r a week or so before he starts comin’ round.”

“Until then?” 

“Same ‘s zone flu really. Rest, water, food if ‘e can get it down. Prewar they’d give an IV but Cherri doesn’t really trust meds,” neither Jet nor Kobra needed any explanation on that. “‘Nd we don’t have any of tha’ anyway... Burn cream. Doc gave you lots?”

“Lots,” Kobra confirmed. 

“And when Pois gets back?” Jet wondered. 

Kobra chimed in, “doesn’t like waveheads." 

“He’s no’ a wavehead. He jus’...” Ghoul trailed off. 

“Waverides?” Jet supplied. “I’m not judging Cherri for being, or not being, a wavehead. We all have our vices. I’ll keep Pois busy but they’ll be annoying about it.”

“Thanks Jet.”

“You should sleep,” Kobra looked at Ghoul. 

Jet nodded, “It’s a long drive to four and back and I bet you won’t get much rest once Cherri’s up and moving.”

Ghoul didn’t move. 

“What if-?”

“I’ll wake you up,” Kobra promised. 

“C’mon, Ghoulie. It’s getting cold and you said Cherri’s out.”

After a moment, Ghoul nodded. Jet broke into a grin and whooped softly. 

“Yes! Bedtime! Let’s get unconscious!” 

Without waiting for a reply, Jet scooped Ghoul up and carried him into their room. 

“Won’t Poison be mad when he gets back and I’m sleeping in his bed?” Ghoul asked as he stripped off his boots and vest. 

“Bet you a can of paint that they won’t be back until tomorrow,” Jet yawned, tying their hair into a loose bun. 

“I’d take that but I think I lose either way.”

The two ‘joys climbed onto the mattress, Jet lay down with some distance between them and Ghoul, not wanting to crowd him, but they didn’t hesitate to wrap an arm around Ghoul when he rolled over to press his face to Jet’s chest. 

* * *

Ghoul woke to a room filled with bright morning light, Jet Star crushing him slightly in their embrace, and the sounds of a vicious argument between Kobra and Poison. He managed to extract himself from Jet’s arms and padded to the door to eavesdrop. 

“Not jus’ a complete stranger but a fuckin’ wavehead, Kobes!” Poison was yelling. 

“Ghoul's  _ friend _ ,” Kobra corrected. 

“Ghoul doesn’  _ have _ friends. He ran solo! ‘Nd I see why! If this is how ‘e treats ‘is crew, runnin’ off with no warnin’, bringin’ fuckin’ waveheads into the hold, ’s no wonder no one could ever put up with ‘im.”

“We aren’t his first crew!”

“We-” Poison paused. “What?” They finished weakly. 

“You don’t listen. It’s obvious if you do.”

“Oh.”

“I don’t know Cherri. But, he means something to Ghoul. I’m going to help.”

“A wavehead, Kobes,” Poison’s voice was softer now, Ghoul had to strain to hear him. 

“You don’t have to help. I will.”

“Be _careful_. I don' want-”

The rest of whatever Poison was saying went unheard as Jet stirred on the mattress. Ghoul turned around and motioned for them to be quiet. Jet nodded, and Ghoul slowly let himself out of the room. 

Poison and Kobra were in the kitchen, a pot of coffee and two mugs forgotten on the counter. Poison rested their head on Kobra’s shoulder as Kobra ran a hand up and down their arm. 

“Mornin’,” Ghoul said cautiously. 

Kobra nodded, Poison made no move to indicate he had heard Ghoul.

“Poison.” 

He couldn’t ignore the direct address, and Party Poison dragged his gaze to meet Ghoul’s. 

“I’m sorry. I should’a talked t’ the crew ‘bout this, I wasn’ thinkin’. You’re right, this is my firs’ crew, ‘nd I know I’m bad at it. I have t’ help Cherri, but if you want, once ‘e’s better I’ll-”

“No.” Poison and Kobra spoke in unison. 

Ghoul let out a breath, “I’ll keep ‘im in th’ room, you don’ need’ta see him.”

“You’re gonna keep ‘im in there th’ whole time?” Poison sounded incredulous.

“At first, yeah.”

“‘Nd I’m supposed t’ pretend he isn’t there?”

“Go to the market. You wanted to anyway,” Kobra interjected. “Drama queen.”

Poison opened their mouth to reply, something snarky no doubt, but Ghoul couldn’t hold in a giggle. Soon enough, all three ‘joys were laughing uncontrollably. 

Jet had joined them by the time they had all calmed down. The four ‘joys trooped out to the dining room and drank coffee in relatively calm silence. 

“So game plan,” Jet finally said. “Pois and I go to the market. Kobes, get some sleep,” Kobra took another sip of coffee with a raised eyebrow. “I know you were up all night and all day yesterday. Ghoul, do what you need to. I can help when we get back. Anything we should pick up at the market?”

Ghoul held up his fingers as he ticked off supplies, “Aloe? If Rotary Cutter has any more of th’ drink mix it migh’ be good for Cherri. We mus' be out o’ water by now. An’ I think I owe ya a can o’ paint.” 

Ghoul shot a grin at Jet on his last words and didn’t miss their answering chuckle. 

Poison did, however, and simply nodded. Him and Jet got up, Kobra stretched out in the new room in the booth and appeared to get ready for a nap. 

“Kobes, there’s a spare bed if you want it,” Jet said. But Kobra had already dropped off to sleep. 

“Weird kid,” Ghoul murmured under his breath. 

“Radio if you need anything,” Poison caught Ghoul’s eye. 

They didn’t smile, but it was a close thing. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think it was a @hyperthrust tumblr post that gave me the idea for Zone Flu as heatstroke but a little more extreme, so think of the effects of waveriding as that but just so much worse. Poor Cherri.
> 
> Also, I don't buy into the whole all-meds-are-bad-and-evil thing that seems really popular in the fandom, I think that can have really bad implications for like, mental illness and echoes real-world 'big pharma' hysteria. That being said, I do think that 'joys who have spent time in the city would be wary of medications, especially being medicated without their knowledge/consent.
> 
> Anyway, hope you liked this chapter! I'll have the next one up tomorrow, let me know what you thought either here or at my tumblr @sleevesareforlosers!


	5. Steady

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cherri wakes up, properly this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for this chapter: A character throws up, it's very vague; There are mentions of a character having panic attacks but nothing graphic. I think that's it!

Dark. 

Cherri started to panic. 

Dark. Why was it dark? Cherri’s internal clock was telling him that the sun should be up, but the darkness surrounding him said otherwise. His heart rate rose. He had to find the sun. He had to find her. 

Cherri moved to stand up, but the sand beneath him was too soft to push off of. It... Wasn’t sand. 

His hands sank into blankets. Cherri gripped them, ignoring the dry split of his knuckles, and pushed himself into a sitting position. The world spun, but Cherri couldn't see it to confirm. 

The darkness surrounded him, sticking to him. It clung to his hair, his hands, he could feel it running down his throat, choking him. 

Cherri coughed, the sound ripped out of his throat and shook the bed as he tried to get the darkness out and get out of the darkness. 

A light appeared. 

Cherri tried to push off of the blankets to get to the light but fell to his knees. The floor was hard, cold, it reflected the light and then went dark with a click. 

“Cherri?”

A voice pierced the darkness, familiar but untraceable. If he focused, Cherri could see the waves of the words. They took the shape of hands. 

Hands gripped Cherri’s shoulders. Pulling him. Lifting him up and propping him back against the blankets. 

They smelled. Cherri turned his head, the blankets smelled like dirt, and sweat, and something familiar. Untraceable in the same way as the voice and the waves and the hands that now stroked Cherri’s hair. 

The voice was back. 

“Cherri can ya hear me? I need t’ look at your burns but ya gotta promise not t’ fight me.”

Cherri thought about the waves, the shape the words took in his mind, the meaning of the words didn’t register until the hands left, and returned draped in a cool gel. 

It  _ burned. _

Cherri cried out, grabbing the hands and ripping them from his skin. 

“Fucker, y’said you wouldn’ fight me.”

Closer, sharper, more familiar were these waves. They took on a body, a face, a name.

“Ghoul?” 

The word scraped Cherri’s throat on the way out. 

“Tha’s me,” the name replied. 

Fun Ghoul. 

Cherri let his head fall back. He laughed. Still in his grip, the hands moved, holding the sides of Cherri’s head gently and pulling his head upright. 

“Fun Ghoul,” Cherri mused.

He coughed, shuddering violently with each inhale as his lungs and body and throat fought to rip each other apart. 

The hands twisted out of Cherri’s grip. One returned a second or an hour later, holding the back of Cherri’s neck softly. The other was still missing. 

“Shh. Drink. It’ll make ya feel better.”

A shape touched Cherri’s lips. He pondered it, decided to trust the name, opened his mouth. 

Cherri’s mouth filled with liquid, it slid down his throat like the darkness. But it didn’t choke him. Each swallow was a little easier, eased the burn in his throat. Cherri drank until the shape was empty. A cup, he decided. 

The hand disappeared, the cup disappeared. They came back a moment later and Cherri drank again. This repeated until Cherri felt ill. He shook his head when the hand returned again. 

The motion stirred something in him and Cherri didn’t know to lean forward before he vomited up the liquid. 

“Fuck,” the name groaned. 

A clatter told Cherri the cup had joined him on the floor and the hands returned to Cherri’s shoulders, tipping him over until his head, shoulder, hip, leg, rested on the ground. The hands rearranged his arms, stroked his hair back, and left. 

Farther away, a new voice appeared. 

“Ghoul?”

“Kobes, can ya get in here? Bring a towel.”

The light came back, silhouetting a tall figure. Cherri watched another figure join in the reflection from the floor before the light vanished, taking both shadows with it. 

“What happened?” This voice had new waves. Flatter. Steady.

“Too much water too fas’, I jus’ need ya t’ hold ‘im still while I check his burns.”

New hands. Cool on his shoulders where the other hands had been hot. Slender. They moved with caution and came to a rest, one on his bicep and the other under his ribcage. 

Cherri relaxed into these hands, a mistake when a moment later they levered him upright. 

Cherri heaved again. No liquid came up, but Cherri’s throat spasmed with the need to clear itself. Cherri gripped at the arms attached to the hands and tried to throw them off. The hands didn’t move. Steady against his skin. 

“Ghoul said to hold you still.” The voice came back. Steady. The waves changed, a ripple that Cherri couldn’t place. Cherri made the connection between the voice and the waves and the hands but there was no familiarity. No name followed. Cherri focused on the voice, the waves, the hands steady on him and stopped gagging. 

“This’ll hurt, okay Cherri?” Came the familiar voice. Ghoul. 

Cherri was still pondering the words and their waves when Ghoul’s hands came back. The gel burned the same way it did the first time and Cherri fought to throw Ghoul off. But the new hands were steady, wrapping around Cherri’s flailing arms and holding them down. 

“Ghoul,” the new voice reappeared and Ghoul’s hands stopped their movement. 

“What, Kobes? He needs th’ cream.”

“Wait,” the new voice. Steady voice, steady hands, Cherri’s mind supplied a name. Kobes. 

Then Cherri was alone. Ghoul's hands were gone and the new hands, _Kobes’ hands_ , vanished. 

They came back, attached to arms, to shoulders, to a body that settled behind Cherri and looped its arms around Cherri’s. 

“What are you-?” Ghoul asked.

“You said hold him still.”

Kobes’ hands found Cherri’s, they gently wrapped around his wrists and held Cherri in place as Ghoul rubbed gel over his face, his neck, his chest, his feet, his hands came last and Kobes hands moved just before then. They resettled on Cherri’s biceps, the voice came steady into Cherri’s ear. 

“Breath deep. Let Ghoul work.” 

Cherri didn't nod, just tipped his head back to rest on Kobes' shoulder.

Later, Ghoul’s hands came back. They carefully traced over Cherri’s hands, rubbing the gel into them gently and covering them in something soft, the texture caught on Cherri’s skin but the gel helped to smooth it over. 

It stung sharply and burned. At some points, Cherri twitched, but Kobes was steady at his back and Cherri focused on the metronome timing of Kobes’ breath, trying to copy it rather than trying to throw Ghoul's hands off. 

When it was over, Kobes helped Cherri to his knees. Together, Ghoul and Kobes lifted Cherri back onto the bed and Kobes slowly made Cherri drink another cup of water. 

“Thanks, Kobes.”

“Thanks,” Cherri surprised himself by speaking. His voice still came out rough, but the water he’d drank made it easier, and Cherri didn’t feel the need to cough after he spoke. 

It seemed that Kobes and Ghoul were surprised too. A moment passed before either of them said anything and for that eternity Cherri was alone on the bed in that dark room. 

“Of course.” Kobes’ voice sounded.

Ghoul’s hands stroked through Cherri’s hair, down his cheek before vanishing. Later, the light came back, Cherri fought to soak it in as two figures walked into the rectangle before it closed with a click. Another click sounded, the waves bringing Cherri the realization that he was locked alone in the dark room. 

Rather than panic, Cherri focused on the shallow waves drifting through the walls. Ghoul’s syrupy staccato voice mingled with the steady beat of Kobes’ words and Cherri drifted off to sleep. 

* * *

“Seriously, thanks Kobes,” Ghoul said, once he’d locked the door behind them. 

“Is that what he’s like?” Kobra asked. 

“Nah. ‘E was worse yesterday,” Ghoul briefly touched the bruises at his throat. “It’ll take a bit f’r him t’ get strong again an’ then we just gotta hope he doesn’t leave t’ hit th’ waves again.”

“Until then?”

Ghoul took a deep breath, exhaling forcefully, “More of that, yeah. Try t’ get ‘im t’ eat at some point.”

Kobra nodded. 

“How’d you know how t’ keep him still?”

“I do it for Party. When they...” Kobra trailed off. 

Ghoul nodded. It was an open secret in the crew about Poison’s panic attacks. Nights he’d wake up clawing at his own throat, unable to breathe. Ghoul hadn’t seen it happen with his own eyes, but it was always obvious the next morning because Poison would have dark circles under his eyes and both siblings would sport a new bruise or two. 

“You hungry?” Ghoul changed the subject.

“Not for Power Pup,” Kobra replied dryly. “‘M gonna take a nap.”

“Shit, f’sure. You were up all night too. Sorry,” Ghoul but his lip. “Uh, if Cherri wakes up-?”

“Wake me too.” Kobra finished for him. 

Ghoul nodded, Kobra wandered off to the extra bedroom and Ghoul headed into the kitchen. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was super fun to write! I love Cherri as an actual character and I loved getting the chance to interpret what coming down from waveriding would feel like. Hope y'all enjoyed it!  
> As always, feel free to leave a comment and let me know what ya thought, either here or at my tumblr @sleevesareforlosers.


	6. A Night Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Fab Four head to a derby with Cherri in tow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter does have a bit more violence, some blood mention, and a character has a panic attack. The violence is very brief, like two or three lines. The panic attack is a little more intense but is all more or less contained in a single paragraph.

The rest of the week, and the one after that, passed in much the same way. Jet found a whole range of things for Poison to do to keep them out of the diner. They helped Dr. D run supplies to the zone five fun fair, set up a new antenna to extend NewsAGoGo’s range, took out BL/ind shipments, and organized trades with other crews across the zones. In the early days, Kobra figured out that having company kept Cherri calmer, so he took to reading his zines in Cherri’s room, sometimes aloud when the darkness felt too suffocating for either of them. Ghoul was optimistic about Cherri’s healing. Most of the burns had faded to where they only needed aloe once a day, and with Kobra’s help, Cherri started eating spoonfuls of Power Pup.

But as Cherri got his strength back, he began to get agitated being kept in the dark, literally and figuratively. 

“Ghoul. It’s been two weeks. You gotta let me outside at some point.”

“If you can convince me that ya won’t go right back t’ roasting in zone four with th’ rest of those waveheads then sure, but I’m not super encouraged by th’ desperation here, Cherri.”

The sounds of the two ‘joys arguing in Cherri’s room carried to the dining room. Jet rolled their eyes at Kobra over a plate of mesquite bread. 

“Do you think he’s missing the irony? Or he’s just choosing to ignore it?”

Kobra shook his head, “He’s concerned.”

“No, I get that,” Jet backtracked quickly. “It’s just funny that it’s Ghoul telling someone they’re a flight risk. I mean, it’s  _ Ghoul _ .”

Kobra just stared blankly at them. 

“Nevermind,” Jet took another bite of the bread. “Hey, I hear there’s a derby coming up on the full moon. You gonna ride?”

“Yes, he is,” Poison invited himself into the conversation. “You gotta get out o’ th’ diner, you haven’ left in two weeks. Plus, Powder Keg said there’s a bag o’ apples in ‘t for th’ winner. Real  _ fruit _ , Kobes.”

“Ghoul hasn’t left in two weeks either.”

“Ghoul chose t’ adopt a wavehead, you jus’ got roped into ‘t. 

“I-” Kobra began.

“Nope. It’s happenin’,” Poison declared. 

At that moment, Ghoul emerged from Cherri’s bedroom, looking frustrated. 

“Ghoulie boy, jus’ who I was lookin’ for.” Poison drawled. 

“Not in the mood, Poison.”

Poison ignored him, “Full moon, there’s a derby and Kobes’s racing. Pack up th’ wavehead and bring ‘im if you gotta but we’re going.”

Ghoul thought for a moment, “Cherri has wanted t’ get out f’r a bit. It’s at night, yeah?”

When Poison nodded, Ghoul broke out into a grin. 

“Okay, lemme go tell ‘im!”

Ghoul rushed back into the bedroom. Poison grinned smugly. 

* * *

The night of the derby arrived. After sunset, Cherri emerged from the bedroom, looking nervous, and ate a meal with the entire crew for the first time. Poison kept their promise to Ghoul to be civil, although they did pointedly show off the tan which they’d been working on. Cherri sat between Kobra and Ghoul, ate quietly, and kept his eyes down. 

When Kobra finished first and stood up, Cherri looked at him, eyes wide with panic. 

“‘M just gonna go get my bike into the Am. Be right back,” Kobra reassured him before practically skipping out of the diner. 

Jet chuckled, “I always forget how old he is until a derby. Lives up to his name.”

Poison and Ghoul joined in with soft laughter, Cherri clearly missed the joke. 

“‘Kobes’? I don’t- I don’t get it, sorry.” 

“That’s not ‘is name,” Poison snapped.

“Pois-” Jet cut in softly.

“Sorry,” Cherri repeated, frantic. “I didn’t know- It’s what Ghoul calls him and I didn’t-”

“How does someone take care of ya f’r two weeks and you don’ learn his name?” Poison sneered. “Seems a little self-centered t’ me.”

“Poison,” Ghoul stood up, hands shaking with rage. “Go make yourself useful and help Kobra with his bike.”

Poison turned without a word and sauntered out of the diner. 

Ghoul turned to Cherri, who shrank back in fear. 

“Cherri, hey. Look a’ me,” Ghoul murmured, anger gone as quickly as it had appeared. He knelt, and looked Cherri in the eyes, “‘S not your fault, Pois’s just an asshole. You didn’t know. Tha’s on me.”

Jet smiled from across the table, “We never did introductions, did we? _Someone_ skipped that part in the whole kidnapping-and-forced-detox-thing.”

Ghoul shrugged, climbing back into his seat.

“I’m Jet Star. Jet, they/them. That was Party Poison, Poison unless you wanna get stabbed,” Cherri didn’t laugh. “Uh, they and he alternately, and his younger brother the Kobra Kid, he/him.” Jet stuck out a hand to shake Cherri’s. 

Cherri reached out and took Jet’s hand slowly. 

“Cherri Cola,” he mumbled. “He/him.”

“Nice to meet ya,” Jet turned to Ghoul. “Y’know, unless I’m mistaken, ‘Kobes’ is a nickname, isn’t it, Ghoulie?”

“Shut up,” Ghoul laughed. 

Cherri watched the exchange and appeared to relax a bit. 

“C’mon. I bet Kobes got his bike in the Am by now,” Jet marched out of the diner, smiling to themself. 

“Ghoul,” Cherri murmured. 

Ghoul turned, taking in Cherri’s wide eyes and panicked expression, “I’ll be right there th’ whole time. You get t’ go outside, see Kobes race. It’s a thing a’ beauty, lemme tell ya. We can always take a break and go for a drive, I’ll nab the keys off Poison.”

Cherri took a deep breath, “We’ll be back before sunrise?”

“Promise.”

Cherri nodded and followed Ghoul out of the diner. 

They met Jet, Kobra, and Poison at the Am. Poison lounged against the hood, twirling the keys around their finger. 

“Cherri Cola, I’m sorry tha’ I was, a, quote-unquote, ‘colossal asshole’ t’ you,” he shrugged. “And ’m sorry if you felt uncomfortable or unwelcome a’ the diner because ‘f my attitude."

Cherri opened his mouth, but Ghoul's temper got the best of him first.

“You’re such a dick.”

Ghoul took a step forward. He threw a punch, hitting Poison squarely in the mouth and knocking them over. 

Poison got to his feet, spitting blood and ready to face off with Ghoul, but Kobra got between the two ‘joys. 

“Great apology, Pois,” Kobra said, sarcasm dripping from the words. “Ghoul, nice hit. I don’t wanna be late to the track.”

After a moment, Poison relented. The crew and Cherri loaded into the Am, Cherri in the backseat between Ghoul and Kobra. 

Ghoul pretended not to see Cherri whisper something into Kobra’s ear and pretended to ignore Kobra squeezing Cherri’s knee in response. Jet caught Ghoul’s gaze in the rearview mirror and grinned, Ghoul rolled his eyes. 

The drive passed quickly, and Kobra was visibly excited by the time they all pulled up to the CrashTrack. Jet, Ghoul, and Cherri got out near the viewing galleries while Poison and Kobra drove off to unload Kobra’s bike closer to the start line. 

The argument at the diner meant that the crew wasn’t late, but there was no time to mingle with other ‘joys before everyone pushed up to the edge of the barricade. Poison joined the other spectators just minutes before the starting gun. 

The races gave Ghoul a much-needed distraction from the past two weeks. Not that he didn’t love Cherri, and helping him was the least he could do, considering everything between them. But Ghoul had been going just as crazy as Cherri, if not more, cooped up in the diner for that long. In the crowd, Ghoul could forget himself, he kept a firm grip on Cherri’s hand, but let himself be pushed and pulled by the crowd, screaming with excitement at the speed and agility shown by the riders as they rocketed around the track. Predictably, Kobra won most of his races, and Ghoul knew that Poison was keeping careful track of his scores and times so that they could collect their winnings from various gamblers at the end of the night. 

Once the final race had ended, Poison rushed off with Jet to collect his winnings. 

“Let’s go get Kobes!” Ghoul exclaimed.

He dragged Cherri towards the track. Ghoul had just caught sight of Kobra’s trademark ‘Good Luck’ helmet when Dr. D’s voice rattled out of the loudspeakers. 

“Look alive, Sunshines. Getting reports of a drac squad heading towards the CrashTrack, better hit the red line and scram before things go all Costa Rica out there. As soon as I know more, so will you. This is Dr. D, signing off for now.”

Instantly, the track erupted into pandemonium. A squad wasn’t a threat on its own, but with a crowd this size, most rebels would be reluctant to fire for fear of hitting another ‘joy. The CrashTrack had protocols for when raid showed up, and they mostly amounted to ‘run like hell.’ A crew was always on call to stay behind and deal with the squad, but that still relied on everyone else getting out of there as fast as they could. 

“Where’s Kobes?” Cherri had to yell to be heard over the noise. 

“I jus’ saw him,” Ghoul yelled back. “He’s right-”

“There!” Cherri exclaimed. He rushed forward into the crowd and Ghoul lost his grip on Cherri’s hand. 

“Cherri!” Ghoul tried to follow him but quickly lost him as the crowd thickened. “Cherri Cola!”

“Ghoul,” Jet ran into him, carrying Poison on their back. “Where’s Kobes and Cherri?” 

“I jus’ had them,” Ghoul's heart rate sped up at the thought of Cherri alone in the crowd.

“We gotta get out of here,” Jet picked Ghoul up and started wading through the crowd. After a minute, they reached the edge of the crowd and located the Trans Am. Poison jumped off of Jet and scrambled onto the roof of the Am, their hair acting as a beacon for Kobra to find them by. It was weird but had worked in the past, and within a minute the Kobra Kid ran over, out of breath and clutching his helmet. 

“Where’s Cherri?” Kobra wheezed.

“He tried t’ find you,” Ghoul replied, rising panic making it hard for his voice to stay even.

Kobra’s face dropped. 

“Kobes, we gotta go. Cleanup crew’ll find ‘im but dracs’re on their way righ’ now,” Poison grabbed Kobra’s arm.

Kobra brushed Poison's hand off, but Poison looked to Jet and they interrupted with a pained expression.

“Cleanup will find him, Kobes. Ghoul, I’m sorry.”

Ghoul shook his head, “‘M not going without ‘im. I promised him I’d be righ’ there th’ whole time.”

“I know, and I’m sorry. But we have to go now.”

Ghoul shook his head again, tears forming in his eyes, “I can’t leave him.”

“Ghoulie,” Poison spoke softly.

“I can’t leave him again! Pois, I can’t just leave him here.”

“Kobes, get in th’ car. Jet,” Poison looked to Jet and Jet nodded reluctantly. “Ghoul, look a’ me.”

“No, Pois I can’t leave him, I can’t do tha’. I promised! I- He doesn’ even have a gun. He could die! What if- I- I can’t do it. I can’t-” Ghoul choked, for a moment he thought he was going to throw up. His vision blurred and his breath came in erratic gasps. Ghoul barely noticed Poison lifting him into the backseat, Jet getting into the driver seat and starting the Am. It wasn’t until they were halfway back to the diner that Ghoul became aware of Poison stroking his hair back and murmuring nonsense into his ear. Eventually, Ghoul’s breathing slowed, his vision cleared, and the ringing in his ears subsided. 

“- No? Okay. Let us know,” Jet was saying in the passenger seat, talking into the two-way radio strapped to the dashboard. 

He put the transmitter down. Wordlessly, Kobra reached back for Ghoul’s hand. If Ghoul hurt Kobra’s hand with how hard he gripped it, Kobra didn’t let on. 

“Cleanup didn’t find him,” Jet’s voice shook. “Doc put out a call. Kobes? Can you do one at the diner?”

Kobra shook his head, clearly unable to speak.

“We left him,” Ghoul whispered. 

He broke into tears. 

The rest of the drive passed quickly. Once Jet had parked at the diner, they helped Poison get Ghoul out of the car and into the bed in Cherri’s room. Kobra followed, pressed his forehead to Ghoul’s for a moment, and left. Poison followed him out of the room and then it was just Ghoul and Jet. 

“C’mon. You need to sleep,” Jet murmured into Ghoul's ear. 

“We left him,” Ghoul repeated in a small voice. 

“I know, Pois is going back out to look for him. There was nothing we could do.”

“We could’ve  _ stayed _ . We just left him- We just-” Ghoul’s voice broke. 

Jet rubbed his back as Ghoul started to sob, “Shh. We can’t change that now. C’mon, breathe with me.”

Eventually, Ghoul cried himself out and fell asleep to Jet’s even breathing. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of fun writing this chapter! Got to write a little more of the dynamic of the Fab Four (I do really like Poison, despite how much of an asshole he was in this one) plus slip in some general desert life stuff. I got really into researching what kind of food would be available to make in the zones because as nutritious as I'm sure Power Pup is, anyone could get tired of eating the same stuff all the time.   
> If you have any thoughts, feel free to comment them here or over at my tumblr @sleevesareforlosers!


	7. Search and Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Party Poison tracks down Cherri Cola.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think there are any warnings for this chapter. Some discussion of addiction as it relates to Cherri and waveriding.

Poison gripped the steering wheel, mind whirling. Why had they forced Ghoul to go to the derby? Why did he think bringing the wavehead was a good idea? Why did they even let the wavehead stay with them in the first place? What was with Ghoul to make him react so strongly to the thought of leaving the wavehead? Even Kobra, obviously the next closest to the wavehead in the crew, knew when to cut and run. Was Ghoul going to be okay? Was the wavehead going to be okay? Did Poison care if he wasn’t? Poison’s head filled with questions, but no answers made themselves obvious as he drove through the night. 

Poison went back to the CrashTrack. As the last place they’d seen the wavehead, it was as good a place to start as any. They climbed up to the top of the lighting scaffold and scanned the desert. Zone two was barren, flat, a good place for a racetrack. That Poison couldn’t see the wavehead from their vantage point meant that he’d managed to get pretty far. Especially for someone still in recovery. 

Poison climbed back to the ground and radioed the diner. 

“Party Poison t’ th’ diner.”

“Kobra Kid. Go ahead.”

“No sign of ‘im at th’ CrashTrack. Anythin’ from Doc?”

“No.”

“How’s Ghoul?”

“Asleep.”

"With Jet?"

"Yeah."

Poison sighed internally, it was a good sign that Kobra was talking at all, but his short answers weren't encouraging.

“How are you?”

Kobra’s voice was quiet when he replied, “‘M worried, Party.”

“Yeah. See if y’ can wake Jet up and put ‘em on the radio.”

There was silence, Poison assumed Kobra had nodded and forgotten that they couldn’t see him. 

“‘M sorry, Kobes. Tell Ghoulie, when ‘e wakes up, that ‘m tryin’.”

“Bring Cherri home.”

“I’ll try.”

“Don’t try. Keep running.”

“Keep running. Signin’ off.”

Poison put down the transmitter and thought about his next move.  _ Once a wavehead... _ his mind supplied. 

Poison started the car and headed towards zone four. 

They drove slowly, trying to figure how fast a weakened addict could walk against how long had passed since Ghoul had lost the wavehead. It had also been close to the dead of night by the time the wavehead had gotten separated, and people tended to move slowly in the cold. 

Poison had driven way past the upper limit of what he figured the wavehead could’ve walked, about to turn around and deliver the bad news to Ghoul and Kobra when he spotted a dark shape in the Am’s headlights. 

Poison stopped the car and got out, their heart in their throat. They approached the shape. It was a body.

Whoever it was didn’t move at the sound of Poison’s boots in the sand. Once he got close enough, Poison rolled the body over with the tip of their boot and stared down at Ghoul’s wavehead. 

“Fuckin’ hell wavie. Get up.”

The wavehead stared up at the sky blankly. Poison knelt, feeling for a pulse. There was one, but it was weak, and the wavehead’s skin was cold. 

“Fuckin,” Poison growled as he knelt, half-carrying, half-dragging the wavehead to the backseat of the Am. “Of course y’ wander off, an’ th’ firs’ thing y’do is try ‘nd head back t’ your wavehead resort. Betcha don’ even care that Kobes ‘nd Ghoul’re worried sick. Fuckin’ wavies. Soon ‘s you can handle life ‘n you’re own you’re gettin th’fuck outta my diner.”

The wavehead didn’t reply. Poison groaned, dug around in the trunk of the car, coming up with a barely-expired granola bar, a threadbare blanket, and half a bottle of water. Poison sat the wavehead up, coaxed him into drinking a bit and stuffed the bar into his hands. 

“Eat tha’. Lie down ‘nd bundle up, y’gotta get warm.”

The wavehead nodded, eyes wide. Poison stared at him for a moment, he couldn’t be much older than Kobra. Poison immediately shut that train of thought down, not willing to wonder how Ghoul knew him, or how he’d ended up waveriding at such a young age, how he came to be as scarred as he was. 

Poison started the Am up and called the diner again. 

“Party Poison t’ th' diner.”

“Jet Star here.”

“Where’s Kobes?”

“Asleep, somehow. I can wake him up if you need, but...”

“Nah, found th’ wavie. On our way back.”

Jet swore with relief, “Where was he?”

“Halfway t’ four.”

Jet was silent for so long Poison nearly checked to make sure that the connection hadn’t dropped.

“That’s... Not good.”

“No,” Poison agreed. 

“Don’t tell Ghoul,” Jet worried. 

“Don’ tell Kobes,” Poison countered. 

“Deal. See you soon. Drive safe.”

“Signing off,” Poison set down the transmitter and focused on driving. 

Halfway back, Poison looked in the mirror to see the wavehead staring at him. 

“What?” Poison asked harshly. 

The wavehead didn’t reply. 

“I don’ like you,” Poison decided to answer an unasked question. “I don’ trust you, I don’ want you in my diner. ‘S bad enough tha’ Ghouls so ‘ttached t’ you but y’ got your hooks ‘n my little brother too. I don’ like it.”

The wavehead continued to stare at Poison.

He sighed, “Fuck. Y’re so  _ young. _ Th’ hell happened t’ you? ‘S none a’ my business but ’s a long drive...”

The wavehead still said nothing. 

“Fuck, fine. I don’ care anyw-”

“You’re Ghoul's first crew.”

Poison stopped short, perplexed by the turn the conversation had taken.

“Whattabout it?” 

Poison was, frankly, a little unnerved at the way the wavehead was looking at them. It was more like he was looking  _ around _ Poison than  _ at _ them. 

“Ghoul never wanted a crew when I knew him. We offered but, no deal,” he took a bite of the granola bar and chewed for a long while. “I’d say I wonder what happened but…”

“What?”

“I’ve got an idea. It’s not my story to tell.”

“S’ what? You ‘nd Ghoul have some past and you get t’ show up and have ‘im wrapped around your finger in a day? When it took us weeks t’ even get him t’ let us stitch ‘im up.”

“Like I had a choice in the matter,” the wavehead shot back.

Poison was startled into silence, he hadn’t expected the wavehead to show a spine. The wavehead seemed a little surprised too, and changed the subject.

“He’s annoying about that isn’t he? Thinks just because he can stitch himself up one-handed it means he has to,” the wavehead laughed, trailing off self-consciously at Poison’s deadpan expression.

“He is pretty fuckin’ stupid sometimes,” Poison allowed. 

The wavehead cracked a small smile. 

The remaining miles passed with relative ease. Poison mostly ranted about Ghoul, how hard it was to get him to accept that he was a part of the crew, and Cherri smiled and nodded, sometimes offering a bit of advice gleaned from the past. He got quieter and quieter as the sky lightened though.

“Poison?” Cherri asked as Poison finished a story about the time Ghoul's gun died during a clap, leaving him to throw cacti at the dracs. 

“Mmm?”

“Are we- Are we gonna make it to the diner before sunrise?”

“Don’ think so.”

Cherri went, if possible, quieter, “Oh.”

It clicked in Poison's mind, just then.

“You got it bad, dontcha?”

“It’s just- It’s new.”

“Once a wavehead,” Poison began harshly. 

“Always a wavehead,” Cherri finished, surprising Poison again. “I’ve heard it. It’s not- It’s not wrong, but I hope this time is different. Ghoul told me we’d be back before sunrise but that was-”

“‘Fore you tried t’ wander back t’ your little wavie paradise,” Poison supplied, with less vitriol than they could summoned. 

“Yeah.”

“Will one morning be that bad?”

“‘S’all it took last time.”

“Last time,” Poison repeated numbly.

This wasn’t the first time Cherri had gone waveriding, not even his first relapse. 

Poison reached for the transmitter. 

“Party Poison t’ th' diner.”

“Fun Ghoul here.”

“Jet tell y’ I got th’ wavehead?”

“Thank th’ fuckin Witch _. _ ”

“We’re gonna be cuttin’ it close t’ sunrise. Get ready for a quick handoff.”

“10-4. That all?”

“Signing off,” Poison put down the transmitter. “Hey, kid?”

Cherri startled, “Yeah?”

“I’m gonna need you to get in the trunk.”

* * *

It was dark in the trunk. It made sense. As the one place in the car that didn’t have windows, Cherri was safest from the sunrise. Still, the darkness was suffocating. Cherri hadn’t seen the sun in two weeks but Ghoul and Kobes had gotten him a lantern once they realized that he couldn't see anything if there was less light than that of a candle. The complete blackness was startling.

The car went over a bump, Cherri’s head slammed into the top of the trunk and for a second he saw stars. The engine noise changed, waves becoming softer, Cherri guessed that meant Poison had turned off of the pavement and onto sand, which must mean they were nearing the diner. The thought made Cherri’s heart speed up. Facing Ghoul and Kobes after disappearing like that, facing the walk from the car to the building. Seeing _H_ _ er _ again. 

Cherri wasn’t sure which was worse, the pitch darkness of the trunk, or thought of the searing light of the sun. Cherri knew he had no choice though, Poison had explained the plan to him and they made it clear that Cherri had one way to get back into the diner. If that meant walking twenty feet through the sun, at least Ghoul and Kobes would be right next to him. 

The car slowed and came to a stop, moments later Cherri saw the driver side door open and close, harsh waves slamming around in his mind’s eye. Two taps on the trunk of the car sounded and Cherri barely managed to close his eyes before the trunk opened and light flooded the space. 

Even through his eyelids, the light was bright. Welcome. Warm. Curled in the trunk of the car, Cherri lost focus and for an eternity he lay still. 

Liquid splashed onto his face, Cherri shot upright, spluttering and opened his eyes to see Kobes staring at him with concern written on his every feature. 

“Poison said-” Kobes began, but was interrupted by Ghoul skidding into Cherri’s field of vision. 

“No time, Kobes,” Ghoul threw a blanket over Cherri’s head, wrapped his arms around Cherri, and heaved him out of the trunk. 

Cherri stumbled when his feet hit the ground, but six hands attached themselves to his arms, shoulders, the back of his neck. 

For a moment, Cherri hung, held up by the hands. The sun beat through the blanket, heating him to an unbearable temperature in seconds. Cherri dropped his head and tried to breathe, but his breath came too fast. His erratic gasps filled his mind with crashing waves. It was too much,  _ too much _ . Why couldn’t he see? The sun was there. Cherri knew that  _ She _ was there. But Cherri couldn’t see. He reached up, trying to remove the covering from his head. 

Kobes’ voice soaked into Cherri’s mind, cool and steady. 

“Walk.”

Cherri obeyed, steadied by the hands, and the clarity that Kobes’ voice provided. He put one foot in front of the other, eyes closed and focusing on the steady thump of feet in the sand. 

Two more hands replaced the others, sliding around Cherri’s waist, arms followed the hands, they tensed, and lifted him from the ground. A moment, a week, a year later, the heat dulled. Cherri felt too-soft sand beneath him, the arms vanished, the light snapped out. Cherri Cola opened his eyes to blackness once more. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo! Poison talking in a not-a-complete-asshole kind of way! I was really excited for this chapter and having Poison and Cherri sort out their differences a bit. Hope y'all liked it too!  
> As always, feel free to let me know what ya thought, either here or at my tumblr @sleevesareforlosers.


	8. First Crew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cherri deals with his walk in the sun. Poison and Ghoul talk about Ghoul's life before joining the Fab Four.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In terms of warnings for this chapter there a bit of violence, again very brief, allusions to an unnamed character's death, and there's an outsider account of another character's struggle with addiction. So nothing very explicit but heavy themes I suppose.

Kobra had barely closed the door behind Jet when Cherri began to scream. In an instant, Kobra was at his side, grabbing one hip and one shoulder, Kobra rolled Cherri onto his back and placed a hand on the center of his chest. 

“Cola. You’re okay. You’re inside.” 

Cherri’s chest rose and fell rapidly, he gripped Kobra’s wrist, squeezing hard enough that Kobra felt the bones shift and tried to throw Kobra off. Kobra held steady. 

“No. Breathe,” Cherri didn’t seem to hear Kobra. “Come back. It was one minute. You can come back.”

Cherri’s eyes were wide. He stared, unseeing, at the ceiling, pupils contracted sharply even in the darkness. Kobra placed his other hand over Cherri’s eyes and Cherri stilled. His hands still gripped Kobra’s wrist as though he would drift away without it. 

“Keep your eyes shut. I’ll get the light.”

Cherri didn’t make a noise, lying stiff on the bed, but when Kobra moved his hand he could see that Cherri’s eyes were closed. Kobra got up and lit the lamp, putting it on the desk across the room from the bed and returning to Cherri’s side. 

Kobra helped Cherri to a sitting position, one hand on the back of his neck, and pulled Cherri’s head into his chest. 

“Come back to me. It’s not dark anymore.”

A second later, Cherri took a shuddering breath, Kobra braced himself for more screaming but Cherri began to sob instead. 

“Shh. You’re fine.”

“Kobes you gotta- You gotta let go of me. I need- I need to go back. She’s  _ out there. _ I need to see _Her_.”

Cherri started to struggle, fighting to push Kobra away. Rather than hold on, Kobra darted to the door, pressing his back against it before Cherri caught on. Almost instantly Cherri was at the door, gripping Kobra’s shoulders and trying to throw him out of the way. Kobra anticipated the move, grabbing onto Cherri’s arms and twisting so that Cherri’s back slammed against the door. 

Cherri shifted his grip and before Kobra could adjust, wrapped his hands around Kobra’s throat. Kobra fought back his panic, tried to rake his nails down Cherri’s hands like Ghoul had told him to, but either Cherri had healed enough that it didn’t affect him, or was too far gone to register the pain. Blood rushing in his ears, Kobra squeezed Cherri’s wrists and managed to shift them enough that he could suck in a breath. 

“You don’t want to fight me,” Kobra wheezed. 

Cherri’s grip went slack, his hands fell to the collar of Kobra’s shirt and he tugged lightly. 

Kobra followed the pull and looped his arms around Cherri’s waist, letting Cherri rest his head against Kobra’s shoulder. 

“I’m sorry. I-” Cherri began, but Kobra cut him off. 

“I get it.”

“I don’t know what happened. I- I’ve been  _ fine  _ it just-” Cherri broke off into another choked sob.

“It got away from you. We should have been more careful. Not your fault.”

“I’m s-”

“Shh. Let’s lie down.”

Cherri followed Kobra to the bed, crawling into it and curling into his side. Kobra followed, tapping Cherri's shoulder and waiting for his nod before wrapping his long arms around him and hooking his chin over his shoulder. 

“Sorry I choked you,” Cherri mumbled. 

Kobra laughed once, “Sorry I let you in the sun.”

“I shouldn’t have run off. I just- I lost Ghoul and I couldn’t see you and it was so  _ crowded _ . I got out of the crowd and there was no one around and it was like-”

“Magnetism,” Kobra supplied. 

“Yeah, magnetism. I just knew if I walked I’d be able to lie down and I would see _Her_ again and it was like I wasn’t in control of myself. I just wanted to see the  _ light _ again.”

Kobra hummed, “I can get Ghoul. You should talk.”

“Can you just- Stay? Please,” Cherri pleaded

Kobra squeezed Cherri tighter, “Of course.”

* * *

Kobra spent the whole day in Cherri’s room. Ghoul sat in the dining room, trying to fix the wiring in Jet’s radio, but his hands were stiff and uncoordinated. 

“Fuck,” Ghoul spat for the nth time that hour as he accidentally cut through the wire he had been trying to strip. 

He dropped the pliers and shook out his hands. From across the diner, Poison stood, walking over and sitting on the ground across from Ghoul. 

“Problem?” Poison asked. 

“Which one?” Ghoul replied darkly. 

“Can I?” Poison reached out, grabbing Ghoul’s hands. 

Ghoul jumped a bit, expecting Poison to go for the radio, but he relaxed as Poison began to massage his hands. 

“I talked t’ Cherri, while I was drivin’ back,” Poison began. 

Ghoul looked up, Poison’s eyes were fixed on their hands. 

“‘E was surprised you joined th’ crew. Said you turned down th’ chance t’ join his.”

There was no question there, but Poison met Ghoul’s eyes, Ghoul sighed, and began to talk. 

“I never had a crew. But, ya know I was never in th’ city.”

Poison nodded, still working the tension out of Ghoul’s hands. 

“Crews’re different when ya got family out here. Less defined. So, my brother had a crew. He was,” Ghoul thought for a minute. “Determined. Ran with a lotta city kids. Thought ‘e was gonna break down th’ walls and free everyone inside.”

“I didn’ know-”

“I didn’ tell you. Cherri was in my brother’s crew. He got ou’ young, been in the desert longer’n Jet has. They kept askin’ me to be in th’ crew. They didn’ have a proper medic ‘nd I guess I’m good with wires. When my hands’re workin’ of course,” he laughed. 

Poison was still rubbing Ghoul's hand’s, more soothingly than trying to work out stiffness at this point. 

“I didn’ see the need f’r a crew. I ran alone, helped Doc when 'e needed medics, took out shipments if a crew needed extra hands bu’. Never stuck around.”

Poison nodded.

“So my brother calls me one day, says ‘e’s gonna take out a shipment and needed a hand to move the supplies. Routine stuff, I didn’ even need t’ be there for the clap, just th’ cleanup,” Ghoul stared at a point just past Poison’s shoulder. “Wrong intel. High-level BL/ind exec getting moved across the desert, this was before we knew they got the other cities past seven. I showed up in time t’ see my baby brother take a blast from’n exterminator. Point blank. Th’ whole crew got ghosted. Fuckin’ idiots didn’ know when to cut ‘n run. Whole crew. ‘Cept for Cherri.”

“Ghoul…”

Tears ran down Ghoul’s face, but he ignored them, too focused on the past to notice the present. 

“I got ‘im out, stitched ‘im up. But I didn’ know how to run with anyone and he didn’ know how to run alone. We-" Ghoul cleared his throat. "We could figure ou’ how t’ waveride, though.”

Poison stilled. Their shoulders went tense. 

“I know you’ve got somethin’ against waveheads but you don’t know what ‘s like. Just you ‘nd the sun ‘nd the sand. Doesn’t matter if you’re lyin’ with fifty other wavies, you could be the only person in all th’ zones. Bake long enough and you stop thinkin’, stop feelin’. Everythin’ fades to sounds, pulses, heat. I didn’ need to ‘member what I’d seen. Neither did Cherri,” Ghoul cleared his throat. “Pony found us accidentally. Dunno how long we were ou’ there roastin’. Doc ‘n them thought we’d gotten ghosted with the rest o’ the crew. Came to drop off supplies at our ‘wavie resort’ ‘nd practically tripped over me. Dunno how they got us both back t’ the station but they did. Dragged us through detox, my head cleared and ‘s soon as I could move without crackling I knew I couldn’t go back t’ tha’. Cherri had a harder time. Doc didn’ let either of us out in th’ day for months, 'til we were both real desperate. I just wanted t’ move without a flashlight but I guess Cherri had a differen' motivation. ‘Ventually they had a fight, got real ugly an’ Cherri stormed out. I didn’ know ‘til the next mornin’.” 

Ghoul blinked, looked down. Poison squeezed his hand.

“I couldn’ track him down for weeks. Was like all the time detoxin’ didn’ mean a thing to ‘im. Doc ‘n Pony were less willin’ t’ help too. Lotta folks in the zones don’ give second chances, third chances’re nearly impossible. I don’ know how I got Cherri out the second time but I promised ‘im. Told ‘im I wouldn’t leave him ‘til he was steady. He seemed better th’ second time ‘round. Really thought it would stick. Doc said he’d keep an eye on ‘im and I could get back to runnin’ solo.”

“Why didn’ you run with ‘im?” Poison’s voice was hoarse.

“If one’a us let Kobes die, would you wanna run with us? Be able to see us withou’ thinkin’ ‘bout him?” 

Poison didn’t reply. 

“It’s been years now. I don’ blame ‘im anymore but, old habits.”

“What ‘bout this time?”

“I dunno that I trust ‘im to stick with it. You saw ‘im this mornin’.”

“You’d leave us for a wavehead?”

“I dunno.”

Poison let go of Ghoul’s hand.

“Don’ be like that. Pois. Poison!”

But Ghoul couldn’t stop Poison from getting up and stalking down the hall. He vanished into his bedroom, slamming the door behind him. 

Ghoul groaned, putting his head in his hands. At least the break had given his hands time to loosen up, and the massage Poison had given Ghoul had helped. Ghoul shook his hands out and bent over the radio again, valiantly ignoring the sounds of Poison beating the wall of their bedroom. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kobra helping Cherri on his own! Ghoul backstory! Something... Is up with Poison.  
> I know there wasn't a lot of action in this chapter but I thought that it was important to give a little glimpse into Ghoul's motivation to helping Cherri. This was another really fun chapter to write, definitely one of my favourites. I hope that came through to y'all.  
> If you have any thoughts, let me know! Comment here or send an ask to my tumblr @sleevesareforlosers!


	9. A Different Kind of Warmth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cherri tries out Kobra and Ghoul's plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has some characters smoking, as well as vague discussions of addiction.

Long after sunset, Kobra emerged from Cherri’s room, looking tired and sporting new bruises to match the faded ones around Ghoul’s neck. He didn’t acknowledge Ghoul's presence in the dining room as he made a beeline for the door. Ghoul put down the nearly-complete radio and followed Kobra outside. Predictably, Kobra was nowhere to be seen, but the smell of smoke clued Ghoul into where he could be found.

Ghoul climbed up the service ladder on the side of the diner and spotted a dim glow marking the end of Kobra’s cigarette. He walked over and sat next to Kobra. 

“Can I bum a smoke?”

Kobra held one out, already lit. Ghoul took it, and the two ‘joys smoked in silence.

When Kobra’s first stick was nearly dead, he pulled out another, lighting it off the cherry of the first. 

“We can’t keep him like this.”

Ghoul looked up, surprised to hear Kobra speak. 

“You sayin’ we should jus’ let ‘im go? You saw him this mornin’. He can’t-”

“No,” Ghoul’s protests cut off. “He can’t be scared of the light like he is of the dark.”

“He isn’ scared of th’ light, Kobes. He’s ‘ddicted to it. Give ‘im the chance and he’d never leave it.”

“He’s scared of losing control.”

“Well ‘e can’t go out in th’ day. Wavies are all ‘r nothin’.”

“You aren’t.”

Ghoul inhaled sharply and coughed on smoke. 

“Y’heard that?”

“Cherri was asleep.”

“Kobes, I-”

“Not mad. It’s good you didn’t tell.”

Ghoul slumped into Kobra’s side, Kobra pressed his forehead to Ghoul’s hair. 

“He needs compromise.”

“What d’you-?”

“Let him lose control. Time it so it doesn’t matter.”

“How d’you mean?”

“Sunset.”

“Kobes, you’re a genius!”

Kobra hummed, taking another drag off his cigarette. 

“Just experienced.”

Ghoul stopped short, lifted himself from Kobra’s side and looked up at the younger ‘joy. He thought about what he knew about the city, how patient Kobra was with Cherri, Poison’s tired acceptance of Kobra’s smoking habit, how Kobra’s pupils were always dilated. 

“You aren’t- You don’- Do you still?” Ghoul cut himself off. 

“Not anymore.”

Ghoul nodded, stood up and offered Kobra a hand. Kobra stubbed out his cigarette, stood, and Ghoul pressed their foreheads together. 

“‘M sorry I didn’ trust you sooner.”

“Things take time.”

Ghoul followed Kobra down the ladder and back into the diner.

* * *

Cherri, predictably, didn’t like their plan. 

“What if I relapse?”

All five ‘joys had crowded around a booth in the dining room. The sun had set, a dim glow still remained on the very edge of the horizon and from time to time, Cherri nervously glanced out the window.

“We’ll be righ’ there.  _ All _ of us,” Ghoul shot a look at Poison, who chewed on their thumbnail and shrugged. 

Jet nodded, “It’s worked before. In theory it’s no different than how we let Kobes smoke. It could get out of hand easily but it doesn’t. You just need to trust yourself and us.”

“But that’s-”

“Listen, Wavie,” Poison interrupted. “Either it works, or you’re too weak t’ hack it. Either way y’gotta stop takin’ up our second room all th’ time.”

“I just- This is working. As long as I get back before sunrise I can just run at night.”

“How long do you really think you can keep that up?” Jet asked, not unkindly.

“Cherri,” Kobes set a hand over Cherri’s where they were twisted together on the table, steadying him. “You won’t lose it.”

“It’s jus’ baby steps at this point,” Ghoul added. “Five minutes, not even. If ya do lose control, no harm no foul. We pull you back in an’ try again later.”

“And even if we can’t,” Jet continued. “That’s why we do it then, natural stopping point for waveheads.”

Cherri took a breath, he thought about the heat of the sun on his skin, the dark room that his eyes never fully adjusted to. Cherri thought about the lightheaded way waveriding made him feel, the way he never stopped seeing everything doubled, tripled, slightly distorted. Cherri thought about how scared he was of ending up dried out and dusted from riding for too long, how scared he was of dying in the dark. 

Cherri’s heart sped up, but as he looked around the table at the crew, he took in Poison’s cool stare, Jet’s open concern, Ghoul’s tired eyes. Kobes’ hand covering his own. Cherri exhaled. 

“Okay.”

* * *

The next day, just before sunset, Kobes knocked on the door to Cherri’s room. 

“Ready?”

Cherri rolled out of bed, already awake. He stood shakily.

“Don’t let me lose it,” Cherri replied. 

Kobes nodded, placing a hand on Cherri’s shoulder, and together the two ‘joys stepped out of the diner. 

Cherri had expected to feel the same pull he had at the CrashTrack, the same urge to close his eyes and lie down that he had in the trunk of the Trans Am. 

This was worse. 

It would have been easy for Cherri to give in to that urge, to lie down and refuse to move, to throw Kobes off and walk into the sunset. 

But he didn’t want to.

Cherri froze on the front step of the diner and  grabbed Kobes’ wrist.

“Kobes, I can‘t. It’s- I need to-”

Kobra turned. He pressed his forehead to Cherri’s. 

“One minute. Count it out.”

Cherri closed his eyes. He focused on the steady sound of Kobes’ breathing and counted in his head. 

One. Two. Three. All the way up to sixty before Cherri opened his eyes. 

For the first time in weeks, Cherri stood in the sunlight without wildly searching for _Her._ He wrapped one hand around the back of Kobes’ neck. Cherri forced himself to look at Kobes’. Kobes stared back at Cherri, steadily meeting his gaze. 

Kobes reached up slowly, Cherri saw the movement in the corner of his vision but kept his eyes focused on Kobes’ face. Kobes gently pushed Cherri’s hair back before resting his hand on the back of Cherri’s neck.

At this distance, Cherri could see things he’d never noticed about Kobes before. The light dusting of freckles across his nose, acne scars on his cheeks, the soft fuzz of blond hair on Kobes’ chin. Cherri felt the warmth of the sun on his back, calling him just as strongly as ever. But he stayed grounded in cataloguing Kobes’ features. 

Minutes passed, Kobes and Cherri stayed motionless on the front step of the diner. Neither spoke, neither moved. 

From the door of the diner, Poison cleared their throat.

“Congrats. Sun’s down. D’you two plan on movin' anytime soon s’ we can come out?”

Cherri and Kobes broke apart. Cherri flushed, but Kobes’ met their siblings’ gaze with a raised chin.

“Good job, Cherri,” Jet said, following Poison out onto the sand. “How do you feel?”

Four sets of eyes turned to Cherri, he took a moment to mentally check in with himself. 

“I- Fine, I guess? Hungry.”

Ghoul and Jet laughed. 

“Tha’s fair. Lemme grab some food, y’mind eatin’ out here?”

Cherri nodded and Ghoul disappeared into the diner.

“Let’s sit,’ Kobes grabbed Cherri’s hand and led him away from the diner a bit.

Cherri glanced nervously to the west, assuring himself that the sun was down.

“It won’ come back for like, eight hours if tha’s what you want.” Poison drawled, sprawling into the sand.

Jet nudged Poison out of the way with their foot and sat next to him.

“No I- Just making sure she’s gone,” Cherri met Poison’s gaze for the first time since the drive back from zone four.

Ghoul returned with a few cans of Power Pup and one of peaches. He ignored the glare Poison leveled at him and pulled out a knife to open the cans.

“Thought w’could celebrate a bit,” he elaborated. “I though’ you were gonna lose it for a sec’ there. How come ya didn’?”

Cherri shrugged, “Found something better to focus on I guess.”

Ghouls grin faded, he shovelled a mouthful of dog food into his mouth. Poison suddenly became very interested in a fraying thread at their knee and Jet busied themself by sneakily tying Poison’s bootlaces together.

“Try again tomorrow?” Kobes pushed the conversation forward.

“I don’t know. It’s. A lot,” Cherri opened his mouth and shut it again.

“But?” Kobes prompted.

“It’s nice. It- The sunset feels softer,” Cherri took a bit of power pup, chewed and swallowed before speaking again. “Morning light is so harsh it’s almost... Overpowering? But it was like Jet said, sunset’s a reset for us anyway. It was almost like, knowing I’d be okay if I did lose it made it easier. I don’t- that didn't make sense, sorry,” he trailed off.

“Nah, that- I get it,” Ghoul rubbed Cherri’s shoulder.

Kobes nodded, Poison lazily waved a hand in the air.

“So tha’s great ‘nd all. Very happy f’r your discovery. How long ‘til you think y’can just, go outside without th’ four o’ us on call t’ keep your ass in line?”

“Because you helped so much today?” Kobes asked smoothly. “How long did it take you to trust I wasn’t going to go on a bender every time I stepped foot in the market?”

Poison shut their mouth, flushed.

Cherri shivered, equal parts cold from the temperature drop and the sudden tension between Poison and his brother.

“You cold, Cherri?” Jet asked. They continued without waiting for an answer. “Pois, can you go grab a couple of blankets? Maybe some wood? We haven't had a fire in a bit.”

Poison climbed to their feet, took one step, and tripped over the laces they hadn’t noticed Jet tying together.

Jet cracked up. Poison tried valiantly to look angry but Ghoul started howling at their face and Poison broke into a smile.

“Sleep with one eye open, Jet Star,” Poison grumbled as they retied their boots.

Jet waited until the diner's door had closed behind Poison before turning back to Cherri and ruffling his hair.

“Seriously though, take your time. The last thing we want is for you to do something you aren’t ready for.”

Cherri blinked hard and nodded.

When Poison returned with blankets and firewood, Cherri wordlessly helped him to start the blaze before settling against Kobes’ side. As it got darker, Cherri gazed at the sky, he couldn’t see the stars, but he knew that they were there. Cherri let the heat and light of the fire wash over him, it was a different kind of warmth than he was used to, but one that Cherri knew he could get used to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're in the home stretch now! Couple things I want to elaborate on:  
> \- I know I wasn't super clear but Kobra is an ex-addict. My current interpretation has him being addicted to city drugs before him and Poison escaped, kicking those and then becoming dependant on zone drugs. He's sober now (except for smoking) but as a result of his years of addiction his pupils are always a little more dilated than normal.  
> \- If you read the tags you'll notice that my Kobra is trans, but I mention him having stubble. I don't think it's much of a stretch to accept that the city would have HRT in some form which killjoys could steal out of shipments. I think gender and sexuality norms are a little more relaxed in the zones but if a 'joy wants hormones, they'll get them one way or another.  
> \- Jet is 1) extremely caring and 2) a bastard. I couldn't find much room in this fic to get super deep into their character but I'll try to do so in a later fic maybe because I really do love them.
> 
> Only two more chapters! If you have any thoughts that you want to share before this is all over then you can leave a comment here or shoot me an ask at my tumblr @sleevesareforlosers.


	10. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The residents of the diner adjust to a new schedule.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Verrrry brief panic attack in this chapter and some mentions of smoking. It's a pretty light chapter overall though.

Weeks passed. Almost every night, Kobra, or Ghoul, or Jet would collect Cherri from his room and take him out to watch the sunset. The best days, Cherri could roam in and around the diner for a few hours before sunset, the worst ones he would last a few minutes in the sun before whoever was with him had to call him back to earth and herd him into the diner. Gradually, the bad days lessened in frequency, and the aftermath of a bad day took less of an effect on Cherri. He spent a lot of time helping Ghoul and Kobra in the garage, tinkering with whatever projects they could find for themselves. Once the sun had set Cherri could have roamed free, as long as he was back before sunrise, but his years of waveriding made it so his eyes refused to adjust to the darkness and although they never said anything, it was obvious that everyone in the diner was concerned about Cherri’s resolve to return before sunrise. So after sunset, Cherri preferred to read zines with Kobra, broadcast himself reading old poetry books, or keep Ghoul company on the roof while he smoked. 

The other residents of the diner adjusted their schedules to be semi-nocturnal along with Cherri. Even though they wouldn’t admit it, Poison began to warm up to Cherri as well. It came in small things, like them leaving an extra mug of coffee on the kitchen counter for Cherri to come back to after sunset, or making more frequent trips to Triple Axle’s stronghold for zines, “For Kobes,” they assured a smirking Ghoul. Poison still insisted on waking up early in the mornings, stating that someone needed to be up in case Doc called or anyone stumbled across the diner.

Poison was in the kitchen alone, chewing on sliced cactus pads when Cherri wandered in, yawning.

“Hey Poison,” Cherri waved at Poison, walking to the sink and pouring himself a cup of water.

Poison stared in horror.

“Cherri,” he started slowly.

“Mmmm?” Cherri rubbed his eyes sleepily.

“D’you know what time ‘t is?”

“Nah, just woke up.”

“Cherri,” Poison took a cautious step towards Cherri.

Cherri froze. He looked around the kitchen, suddenly wide awake. 

Sunlight was streaming through the windows. 

Bright morning light.

Cherri’s eyes started darting around, his breath came in audibly ragged gasps. 

Poison took another step towards Cherri and Cherri backed away hurriedly, slamming into the counter behind him.

“Fuckin’- Cherri,” Poison said harshly.

Cherri turned wide eyes on Poison.

“Breathe. Don’ move.” 

Poison rushed to close the curtains, blocking out the sunlight.

As soon as the room dimmed, Cherri slid down the cupboards to the ground. He curled his knees up to his chest and buried his face in his arms, shaking. 

Poison crouched next to Cherri, putting one hand on Cherri’s arm.

“You’re good. Coun’ t’ sixty, ‘ll be back ‘fore you’re done.”

Poison waited for Cherri to start counting aloud before they stood again and exited the kitchen, closing the door to the dining room behind themself.

Poison opened the door to Cherri’s room without knocking, causing the Kobra Kid to roll over on the bed.

“Cher?” Kobra murmured sleepily. “Time’s it?”

“‘T’s me,” Poison replied. “Y’gotta come t’ th’ kitchen.”

Kobra blinked sleepily, “Where’s Cherri?”

“In th’ kitchen,” Poison replied impatiently. “Woke up early, y’gotta come now.”

Kobra jumped up, wide awake, and practically ran from the bedroom.

Poison followed Kobra. He entered the kitchen to see Kobra kneeling on the floor where Cherri had stayed, Kobra was pressing his forehead to Cherri’s head and murmuring softly.

“‘M gonna get the curtains in th’ dinin’ room.”

Neither of the younger ‘joys acknowledged that Poison had spoken. They exited the kitchen, leaving Cherri to Kobra’s comfort and quickly closing all the curtains in the dining room. When they were satisfied with the dimmed sunlight, Poison returned to the kitchen. Neither Cherri nor Kobra had moved, still huddled together on the floor.

“‘S’all clear if y’wanna move back t’ your room,” Poison announced.

Cherri looked up, “Thank you,” he said, barely audible.

Poison sucked in a breath, shaken at how awful Cherri sounded. He shrugged, falsely nonchalant.

“Whatever.”

Kobra stood, offered Cherri a hand and helped him up. Cherri stood shakily, but Poison suspected that the arm Kobra slung around Cherri’s waist as they left the kitchen was more for emotional support than physical.

Poison debated following Kobra and Cherri back to their room, eventually deciding against it. He pushed himself up onto the counter and went back to his breakfast.

A few minutes later, Jet Star pushed open the kitchen door.

“Kobes and Cherri were just up,” Jet informed Poison, sounding bewildered.

“Yeah. Think Cherri woke up ‘nd didn’ know what time ‘t was.”

“Shit,” Jet swore. “Lucky Kobes was up to keep him steady.”

“Kobes wasn’ up.”

“But Ghoul’s still asleep.” Jet paused, they turned to look at Poison. “Did you-?”

“Yeah,” Poison scratched their head absently.

“I thought you didn’t like Cherri.”

“Don’t.”

“So why did you help him?”

“What kinda prick d’you think I am? I won’ baby th’ kid but ’m not gonna let ‘im suffer like tha’. Y’seem t’ forget I got Kobes through two kinds o’ detox on my own. ‘Sides. ‘S’not like I can get rid of ‘im now.”

“Kobes is pretty attached to him, isn’t he?”

Poison sighed, “Y’could say tha’.”

Jet laughed.

“You’d be stupid not to. Never seen Kobes talk so much around anyone before. Then there’s the reading together, the hand-holding, the forehead presses, the whole sharing-a-bed thing.”

“We all do tha',” Poison challenged.

“Not like they do.”

Poison looked down.

“I told ‘im not t’get attached,” he whispered.

“Pois,” Jet moved to sit next to Poison on the counter. “I know he’s your brother but  _ you _ know Kobes is smart. He can take care of himself and-”

“Can he?” Poison interrupted. “Maybe ‘e can now, but what if Cherri relapses? Wha’ if we wake up one day and ‘e’s run off back t’ zone four? Y’think Kobra could handle that? Y’think  _ Ghoul _ could?”

“Cherri makes him happy. That’s obvious. And he’s actually doing very well. A couple weeks ago I’d think you could be right but look around. It’s morning! You said you didn’t baby the kid and he was fine, he’s probably back asleep with Kobes right now. Cherri isn’t recovering by himself, as much as you try to ignore him.”

“I don’-” Poison protested weakly.

They shut up at the look Jet sent them.

“Trust Cherri, or at least trust Kobes,” Jet wrapped an arm around Poison’s shoulders.

Just then, Ghoul entered the kitchen.

“Everythin’ okay?” Ghoul asked, taking in his crewmates.

“Cherri was up this mornin’.” Poison answered.

“ _ Fuck _ ,” Ghoul swore. “Where is ‘e? Is he-?”

“In bed with Kobes,” Jet replied. “Pois was up already and managed to keep him calm.”

“Thank th’ Witch,” Ghoul ran a hand down his face. “Thank you, Party.”

Party shrugged, but Ghoul climbed onto the counter on his other side and wrapped an arm around him, mirroring Jet. 

The three of them sat in silence for a few minutes.

Eventually, Poison cleared their throat, “So… Coffee?”

Ghoul laughed wetly, “Soun’s good.”

* * *

At sunset, Poison climbed up to join Kobra and Cherri on the roof of the diner. He sat down next to Cherri, ignoring the way Kobra had his head on Cherri’s shoulder and Cherri had one hand resting on Kobra’s bent knee.

“Derby t’morrow nigh’,” Poison stated nonchalantly. “I checked with Powder Keg, prize ‘s a case o’ Jump Juice.”

“No,” Kobra replied instantly.

“You should go,” Cherri spoke up, rubbing Kobra’s knee.

“What about you?”

“I’ll stay here, run a broadcast or something.”

Kobra looked like he was going to protest, but Poison steamrolled over him.

“Great. Y’two can watch th’ sunset, I’ll pack up th’ bike f’r ya and then we’ll go.”

“Party-” Kobra started to protest.

“No, Kobes. ‘E was fine this mornin’, it’ll be nighttime, we’re runnin’ out of things t’ trade anyway. Listen t' Cherri an’ listen to me.”

Kobra hesitated, “If you think it’ll be fine.”

He had been looking at Cherri, but Poison nodded. 

“Grea’, I’m gonna crash, been up all day.” 

Poison got up and climbed back down the ladder. They started to grin as they reentered the diner, marching past Ghoul and Jet playing cards in one of the booths. Poison ignored the silent conversation Jet and Ghoul had as they passed. A moment later, Ghoul got up and followed Poison into their bedroom.

“What’s got ya feelin’ so shiny?” Ghoul asked as Poison crawled onto the bed.

“Derby t’morrow.” 

He even _sounded_ pleased with himself.

“Y’got Cherri t’ agree?” Ghoul replied, incredulous.

“Kobes was harder t’ convince.”

“Oh. Well, should b’fun.” Ghoul admitted.

Poison hummed, already half asleep. They rolled onto their side and lifted the blankets up, motioning Ghoul to join them.

“Smug bastard.” 

Ghoul moved onto the bed and curled up next to Poison. Within minutes, Poison was asleep, Ghoul mindlessly playing with their hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one more chapter to go!   
> This one was just sweet, Poison being not-an-asshole is my favourite way to write them, plus so many cuddles that I couldn't put in the more action-y chapters.   
> I think the only thing that actually needs a note for this chapter has already been kind of heavily alluded to but basically, like Kobra, Cherri's eyes have been affected by his addiction, only in the opposite way. Wavehead's eyes adjust to the constant sunlight and brightness by contracting the pupils so after a long enough time they stop expanding as much as they should. I didn't want to just state it outright in the fic but that's why, for example, Cherri thought of his bedroom as pitch black even though Ghoul and Kobra could see while they were patching him up and stuff.  
> Anyway, last chapter will be posted tomorrow. If you have any last-minute thoughts you can leave them here or at my tumblr @sleevesareforlosers!


	11. We've Got All Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cherri takes care of the diner while the Fab Four are at the Derby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No real warnings for this one, more discussions of addiction but that's a given.

“Nervous?” Kobes asked.

He and Cherri were sitting on the edge of the diner’s roof, sharing a bowl of toasted piñon as the sun set.

“A bit,” Cherri admitted.

They watched Poison roll Kobes’ bike towards the Trans Am, their shit-eating grin from the day before still visible from the roof.

“It’s just one night though. And Poison was right, I’ve been doing really well.”

Kobes hummed.

“Maybe it’s a bit of a pride thing. I guess I just want to know that I’m strong enough to handle things on my own.”

“It’s not weak to need others,” Kobes turned to look Cherri in the eye.

“No. Maybe I just wanted some time away from you,” He joked, grabbing Kobes’ hand and squeezing.

Kobes squinted for a second.

“Kidding,” Cherri leaned into Kobes’ shoulder, smiling.

“C’mon Kobes. Hit th’ red line!” Poison shouted, waving up at the two of them.

Kobes stood, pulling Cherri up with him.

“You’ll be back by morning?” Cherri asked.

“Promise,” Kobes murmured, pressing his forehead to Cherri’s.

“Bring back some Jump Juice.”

Kobes nodded. He turned and climbed down the ladder, joining Poison, Ghoul, and Jet at the Trans Am. Jet said something to Kobes and he laughed, shaking his head. They pushed at each other for a minute before Jet lifted Kobes onto their shoulder and climbed into the backseat while Poison and Ghoul got in the front seats.

A moment later, Poison honked the horn, Cherri lifted a hand and waved as they drove off.

Cherri watched the lights of the Trans Am fade into the distance before he got up, descended the ladder, and wandered back into the diner. It was weird, Cherri decided, being alone in the diner. He hadn’t been alone in any meaningful way since the last derby, at least a month ago. Cherri shrugged to himself, heading to the broadcast equipment in the back of the diner. He hadn’t found any new poems since his last broadcast, but Ghoul had brought back a stack of prewar records from the market a few days earlier, so Cherri put those on after a short introduction and decided to clean the dining room.

The first record had just ended and Cherri was putting on the next one when the radio buzzed with an incoming transmission.

“Dr. Death-Defying to the diner.”

“Go for Cherri Cola,” Cherri replied, happy to hear the DJ’s voice.

“Oh, Cola,” Dr. D sounded surprised. “Was lookin’ for Poison, they kickin’ around?”

“Uh, no, sorry. They all went to the derby.”

“Oh, 'f course. I was gonna drop by with Pony... We found some detonators and Poison had mentioned running out when they were over last week.”

“I mean, you can still come over. I’m just cleaning.”

“Ah,” Dr. D hesitated. “Sure. D’you want us to bring your truck over too?”

“You found it?” Cherri was shocked. “Yeah! I’ll be here all night.”

“10-4, we’ll be over in an hour or so.”

“See you then Doc.”

“Signing off.”

The radio went silent.

Cherri put on the next record, buoyed by the thought of having his old truck back. He finished cleaning the dining room and organized most of the food in the kitchen before stepping out into the night.

When Cherri’s truck pulled up, towing Dr. D’s van, Cherri stepped forward to help unload Dr. D’s wheelchair.

“Pony!” Cherri enthused, giving them a hug.

“Hey, Sugar,” Show Pony replied, wrapping their arms around Cherri’s neck.

“How’ve you been?”

“Survivin’, thrivin’, near constantly jivin. Yourself?”

“Can’t complain,” Cherri replied honestly. “Hey, Doc.”

“Cola,” Dr. D nodded. “Stayin’ out of trouble?”

“Considering Poison’s practically got me on total lockdown? Hard not to be.”

“Good t’ hear.” 

“Come on in, we’ve got some mix from Rotary Cutter if you want a glass,” Cherri offered.

Pony nodded enthusiastically and them and Dr. D followed Cherri into the diner.

Dr. D twisted in his chair, “Pony, y’mind getting those detonators? Wanna have a little one-on-one with Cola.”

“Aye-aye,” Pony saluted, skating out the front door of the diner.

Cherri continued into the kitchen, pulling out glasses and drink mix.

“Cola,” Dr. D began. “I want to apologize.”

“What for?”

“We- When you disappeared, Pony found your truck in three and said they couldn’t find you. We kind of gave up.”

Cherri slowly turned to look at him.

“We should’ve kept searching. I- I don’t know, son. I guess we thought that, after everything with Ghoul, you wouldn’t go back to waveriding again. I don’t want you to think it’s because we didn’t want to find you we just-”

“You had too much faith in me,” Cherri interrupted, not unkindly. “I’m not mad. I get it. It’s- It’s not for the better but- I'm _better_ now.”

Dr. D nodded encouragingly.

“The crew is good. They help. They’ve got me managing the whole, sunlight thing. I can go out around sunset and it’s doable. I was even up yesterday morning without realizing it and Poison caught me before I noticed. Kobes was worried sick that I’d relapse because of it but-”

“Kobes?” Dr. D interrupted.

“Uh, Kobra Kid,” Cherri blushed.

“Ah,” Dr. D hid a smile. “‘Kobes’.”

“It’s not- We- I- Shut up.”

Show Pony sailed into the kitchen at that point.

“Cherri, dearest, I do hope that glass is mine. You would not  _ believe _ how heavy detonators can be. I’m just parched!”

Cherri smiled, “Yeah Pony, this one's for you.”

When they finished their drinks, Cherri offered to show Dr. D the new records Ghoul had brought in. They were still in the broadcasting room when Cherri heard the sound of the Trans Am approaching.

A minute later, the door to the diner slammed open.

“Cherri!” Kobes yelled.

Cherri rushed out of the backroom, heart in his throat. Dr. D and Pony rolled behind him.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

Cherri had barely stepped into the dining room when Kobes slammed into him.

“I won!”

Kobes wrapped his arms around Cherri’s waist. Cherri responded in kind and held Kobes as he buried his face in Cherri’s neck.

“I knew you would,” Cherri murmured.

Kobes pulled back and looked into Cherri’s eyes. Before he knew what he was doing, Cherri leaned forward and connected his lips to Kobes’.

For a minute, or maybe a lifetime, Kobes and Cherri kissed. Kobes let go of Cherri’s waist, only to grip onto the sides of Cherri’s neck. Eventually, they pulled apart, coming to rest their foreheads together.

The diner was silent. 

Then Poison cleared their throat, “That’s very touchin’ ‘nd all. An’ I for one would like t’ never see that again. But we gotta case o’ Jump Juice 'n the car that’s gotta get brought in. Ghoul? Lend a hand? Hi Doc, hi Pony.”

“Hi Poison,” they responded in sync.

Ghoul followed Poison out of the diner, Jet mumbled something about getting a glass of water and disappeared into the kitchen. Dr. D and Pony bid congratulations to Kobes before excusing themselves from the diner, stuttering something about having Poison and Ghoul unhitch the van from the truck.

Cherri and Kobes stood in the dining room for a moment.

“I- Congrats on the derby,” Cherri began.

“Kiss me again,” Kobes demanded.

So Cherri did.

Cherri took a minute to catch his breath once they broke apart.

“Is this-?” Cherri hesitated. “Sorry, I should have asked first.”

Kobes shook his head, “I’ve wanted to do that for weeks.”

“Okay.”

Kobes moved forward again, Cherri closed his eyes.

“I guess you’ll be sticking around for a while then?” Jet interrupted from the kitchen doorway with a smirk. “Not that it’s a problem, but we might have to get an extra bed, assuming you two don’t want Ghoul stealing all your blankets.”

Cherri laughed, nodding at them.

“Not sure where else I’d go at this point. If,” he turned back to Kobes. “It’s alright with you?” 

Kobes nodded. Cherri leaned in to give him another kiss but stopped at a disgusted noise from the front door.

“Didn’ I  _ just _ say I didn’ wanna see it?” Poison turned to Ghoul. “I swear I jus’ said I didn’ wanna see that.”

Ghoul nodded seriously.

“Look alive, Soda Pop,” he said, tossing a can of Jump Juice to Cherri.

Cherri caught it and waited for everyone else to have a can before popping the top.

“T’ th’ fastes‘ crash queen in the zones, and ‘is mangy wavehead boytoy,” Ghoul toasted with a grin.

The five ‘joys downed their drinks as a group. 

Ghoul belched for an inhumanly long amount of time, eliciting groans from Jet and Poison.

“There’s more where tha’ came from. We gotta full case’a Jump Juice and all night t’ drink it,” Ghoul drawled.

Cherri laughed despite himself. He accepted another can from Ghoul and pressed a kiss to Kobes’ shoulder, ignoring Poison’s exaggerated retching.

“That sounds good to me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's it! This is only my third fic, and first multichapter one so it was a bit of a process to get written and edited and posted. Thanks to anyone that actually stuck around and read the whole thing. Hopefully, y'all liked it! 
> 
> Any final thoughts, you can leave them here or at my tumblr @sleevesareforlosers. Until next time!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I'm gonna try and have the rest of the chapters up over the next week and a bit, hope y'all enjoyed the first one! Feel free to leave kudos, a comment, or follow my tumblr @sleevesareforlosers!


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